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1. 


MEASURE  YOUR 
MIND 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


https://archive.org/details/measureyourmindm00trab_0 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 

The  Mentimeter  and 
How  to  Use  It 

BY 

M.  R.  TRABUE,  Ph.  D. 

AND 

FRANK  PARKER  STOCKBRIDGE 


WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS 
IN  TEXT 


GARDEN  CITY,  NEW  YORK,  TORONTO 

DOUBLEDAY,  PAGE  & COMPANY 
1922 


COPYRIGHT,  1920,  BY 
DOUBLEDAY,  PAGE  & COMPANY 
ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED,  INCLUDING  THAT  OP 
TRANSLATION  INTO  FOREIGN  LANGUAGES, 
INCLUDING  THE  SCANDINAVIAN 


PRINTED  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 
AT 

THE  COUNTRY  LIFE  PRESS,  GARDEN  CITY,  N.  Y. 


PREFACE 


The  publishers  offer  this  book  primarily  as  a popular  treatise 
on  the  measurement  of  intelligence  by  scientific  methods. 

Every  effort  has  been  made  to  conform  to  the  soundest  scienti- 
fic principles,  both  in  the  preparation  of  the  Mentimeter  tests, 
around  which  the  volume  is  largely  written,  and  in  the  intro- 
ductory and  explanatory  chapters,  in  which  the  principles  of 
applied  psychology,  as  they  bear  upon  mental  tests,  are  stated 
in  popular  language. 

The  Mentimeters  are  based  upon  Doctor  Trabue’s  experience 
(1)  as  Assistant  in  Educational  Psychology  at  Teachers  College, 
Columbia  University,  (2)  as  psychological  investigator  of  the 
inteUectual  status  of  inmates  of  charitable  institutions  and  of 
pupils  in  the  public  schools,  (3)  as  author  of  various  intellectual 
and  educational  scales,  widely  used  by  psychologists  and 
. educators,  (4)  as  Chief  Psychological  Examiner  in  two  of  the 
largest  Army  camps,  directing  the  intellectual  examination  of 

- more  than  a hundred  thousand  soldiers,  (5)  as  Captain  in  the 
Adjutant  General’s  Department,  U.  S.  Army,  measuring  the 
intellectual  abilities  of  men  in  the  Aviation  Service,  and  (6) 

' as  Assistant  Professor  in  Columbia  University,  giving  instruc- 
tion in  the  theory  and  practice  of  intellectual  measurements 
^ and  directing  the  application  of  such  measurements  to  tens  of 
thousands  of  school  pupils. 

Frank  Parker  Stockbridge,  Doctor  Trabue’s  collaborator,  is  an 
" author  and  journalist  of  a high  order.  As  managing  editor  of 

- Popular  Mechanics  and  contributor  to  the  Worlds  Work, 
\ Harper's,  Popular  Science  Monthly,  etc.,  he  has  been  thrown 

into  contact  with  important  affairs  in  the  world  of  science  so 


VI 


PREFACE 


that  he  is  especially  equipped  to  work  with  Doctor  Trabue  in 
presenting  this  interesting  subject.  As  director  of  the  publicity 
campaign  of  the  American  Library  Association  War  Fund  his 
contact  with  the  Army  and  the  results  of  the  biggest  experiment 
in  the  way  of  psychological  tests  that  the  world  has  ever  seen 
was  invaluable  to  him  in  this  work.  The  publishers  feel  that  the 
collaboration  is  a particularly  happy  one. 

The  success  of  the  scientific  method  of  testing  intelligence 
among  both  officers  and  men  in  the  Army  has  directed  wide- 
spread attention  to  the  general  subject.  The  Mentimeter  is 
the  first  comprehensive  system  of  tests,  applicable  to  the  whole 
range  of  educational  and  industrial  requirements,  to  be  offered 
for  general  use. 

To  employers  and  those  in  charge  of  the  selection,  grading, 
and  promotion  of  workers  of  every  class,  in  factories,  offices,  and 
stores;  to  teachers  of  all  grades,  from  kindergarten  to  university; 
to  parents  who  are  interested  in  ascertaining,  and  watching  the 
growth  of  their  children’s  mental  development  and  to  young 
men  and  young  women  striving  for  self-improvement  and  ad- 
vancement and  desirous  of  learning  something  of  their  own 
mental  capacities  and  limitations  as  a guide  to  the  intelligent 
choice  of  vocations  or  professions,  the  publishers  offer  this  book 
in  the  confident  belief  that  it  will  be  found  of  real  service. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I Science  Versus  Guesswork 3 

II  The  Applications  of  Psychological  Tests  . . 16 

III  What  These  Tests  Measure 23 

IV  Standards  for  Mental  Tests 33 

V  Different  Types  of  Mental  Tests  ....  44 

VI  Mental  Tests  in  the  Army 53 

VII  Psychological  Tests  in  Education  ....  63 

VIII  Mental  Tests  in  Industry 76 

IX  How  TO  Use  the  Mentimeter  Tests  ...  88 

X The  Mentimeter  Tests 109 

XI  Trade  Tests  or  Tests  of  Skill 274 

Appendices 287 


vii 


I I ' ^ ^ 


MEASURE  YOUR 
MIND 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


CHAPTER  I 

SCIENCE  VERSUS  GUESSWORK 

There  are  two  ways,  and  only  two,  in  which  we  can  find  out 
what  a machine  is  capable  of  doing.  One  of  these  is  to  try  it 
out,  to  “put  it  through  its  paces”  by  using  it  for  every  sort  of 
work  which  it  is  expected  to  perform  and  observing  whether  or 
not  it  does  what  we  want  it  to  do.  The  other  way  is  to  measure 
it  (or  to  take  the  measurements  of  it  as  supplied  by  its  respon- 
sible manufacturer)  and  compare  these  with  the  measurements 
of  the  essential  parts  of  machines  with  the  performance  of  which 
we  are  already  familiar. 

Unless  it  is  a brand-new  type  of  machine,  designed  to  do  some- 
thing that  has  never  before  been  done  by  machinery,  or  to  do  it 
by  a different  mechanical  method,  there  is  obviously  a great 
saving  of  time  and  money  in  buying  a machine  from  specifica- 
tions that  insure  the  correct  performance  of  its  expected  duty 
over  the  other  plan  of  first  buying  the  machine  and  then  trying 
it  out  in  practice  to  see  whether  it  will  do  what  we  want  done. 

The  manufacturer  or  business  man  who  would  purchase  ma- 
chinery of  any  sort  without  first  making  certain  that  its  dimen- 
sions, speeds,  weight,  power-consumption,  controls,  and  the 
materials  used  in  its  construction  were  such  as  to  adapt  it  pre- 
cisely to  the  work  he  expected  to  do  with  it  would  speedily 
bankrupt  his  business.  It  takes  but  a moment’s  thought  for 
the  reader  to  prove  this  to  himself. 

On  the  other  hand,  however,  we  find  business  men  constantly 
employing  men  and  women  to  perform  specific  duties  without 
3 


4 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


applying  any  tests  or  measurements,  other  than  the  most  rudi- 
mentary ones,  to  determine  in  advance  whether  the  person  so 
employed  is  fitted  for  the  work  he  or  she  is  expected  to  do.  And 
as  every  employer  knows,  one  of  the  most  costly  wastes  in  al- 
most every  business  or  manufacturing  establishment  is  the  ex- 
pense of  constantly  “breaking  in”  new  employees  to  take  the 
places  of  those  who  have  left  or  have  been  dismissed  because 
they  were  found,  after  trial,  not  to  be  fitted  for  the  duties  to  be 
done. 

Because  the  installation  of  machinery  of  any  kind  involves 
an  initial  outlay  of  money,  it  long  ago  became  apparent  to 
everybody  that  the  “trial  and  error”  method  of  buying 
machines  or  other  commodities  was  wasteful  and  ruinous.  It 
was  not  until  recent  years,  however,  that  the  closer  study  of 
operating  costs  disclosed  the  fact  that  the  expense  of  “labour 
turnover,”  that  is  to  say  the  proportion  of  employees  in  any 
given  business  whose  places  have  to  be  filled  annually,  is  one  of 
the  heaviest  avoidable  drains  on  income.  This  was  long  over- 
looked because  no  capital  investment  is  involved  in  the  initial 
employment  of  labour.  The  cost  of  training  new  employees 
is  much  larger,  it  is  now  learned,  in  most  businesses,  than  is 
generally  understood,  not  only  in  the  direct  outlay  in  salary  or 
wages  before  the  new  employee  has  mastered  the  duties  of  the 
new  position  as  well  as  he  or  she  is  able,  but  in  loss  through 
spoiled  materials,  reduced  individual  output,  and  often  in  the 
slowing  down  of  an  entire  chain  of  manufacturing  operations 
through  the  inability  of  the  inexperienced  worker  to  maintain 
the  pace  of  the  rest  of  the  links  in  the  chain. 

If,  then,  as  so  often  happens,  it  is  found  after  experiment  that 
the  new  employee  is  not  capable  of  performing  the  work  effi- 
ciently, the  whole  process  must  be  repeated.  The  employee 
who  has  failed  leaves,  is  dismissed,  or  is  transferred  to  another 
department,  and  a new  and  equally  inexperienced  worker  em- 
ployed to  fill  the  vacancy,  with  the  whole  cost  of  training  to 
be  incurred  over  again.  Even  though  the  new  worker  may  be 


SCIENCE  VERSUS  GUESSWORK 


5 


experienced  in  the  particular  class  of  work  to  be  done,  there  is 
an  appreciable  loss  due  to  the  unavoidable  frictions  and  hesita- 
tions that  occur  whenever  a worker  is  being  fitted  into  a new 
environment. 

There  is,  moreover,  no  guarantee  that  even  an  experienced 
person  in  a special  sort  of  work  is  fitted  to  do  that  particular 
work  as  well  as  it  can  be  done  or  should  be  done.  He  or  she 
may  have  got  into  that  sort  of  work  by  accident.  That  is 
usually  the  way  in  which  a boy  or  girl  begins  a business  or 
industrial  career.  He  or  she  may  have  continued  in  it  merely 
because  the  experience  gained  in  the  first  job  enables  its  pos- 
sessor to  pass  the  superficial  scrutiny  of  foremen,  managers,  or 
others  who  employ  “help”  in  the  first  instance.  But  just  as  all 
the  experience  and  training  in  the  world  will  not  make  a Pade- 
rewski out  of  a person  who  was  not  born  with  the  precise  combi- 
nation of  sensory  and  nervous  qualities  that  the  master  musician 
possesses,  though  almost  any  one  with  ten  fingers  and  an  ear  for 
harmony  can  be  taught  to  play  the  piano  after  a fashion,  so  it 
is  true  that  while  in  the  all-important  business  of  earning  a living 
almost  anybody  can  be  trained  to  do  most  of  the  ordinary  man- 
ufacturing and  business  operations,  after  a fashion,  it  is  only 
those  who  were  born  with  certain  combinations  of  nerve-endings 
and  sensory  apparatus  who  can  be  trained  into  first-rate  sales- 
men, or  expert  tool-makers.  And  this  holds  true  all  the  way 
down  the  line,  to  the  simplest  and  most  automatic  operations 
necessary  in  business  industry. 

Individuals  themselves  are  seldom  aware  of  their  own  capaci- 
ties; even  less  generally  of  their  own  limitations.  Occasionally, 
by  accident,  a man  or  a woman  finds  at  the  right  time  the  op- 
portunity to  do  precisely  the  things  he  or  she  is  best  fitted  to  do. 
Often  the  individual’s  strong  personal  instincts  or  inclinations 
lead  him  or  her  to  seek  opportunity  to  do  certain  kinds  of  work 
without  any  clear  understanding  why  that  sort  of  work  appeals 
vhile  other  kinds  do  not.  Few  human  beings  analyze  their 
inclinations  closely.  Yet  it  may  be  and  frequently  is  the  case 


6 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


that  the  work  one  most  strongly  desires  to  undertake  is  not  that 
in  which  he  or  she  is  best  fitted  to  succeed.  The  inclination 
may  be  counterbalanced  by  inhibitions  of  which  neither  the 
possessor  nor  his  or  her  employer  becomes  aware  until  repeated 
failure  has  demonstrated  the  lack  of  adaptability,  sometimes 
after  it  is,  or  seems  to  be,  too  late  to  take  up  another  occupation. 
Then  the  worker  usually  drifts  into  the  ranks  of  “casuals,” 
constantly  moving  from  job  to  job,  chronically  “out  of  work”; 
the  ready  dupe  of  agitators  and  the  prophets  of  social  unrest 
and  revolution;  disheartened,  anti-social,  and  perennially  un- 
happy ; the  most  expensive  sort  of  an  employee  in  any  position, 
no  matter  how  small  the  wage — ^yet  a human  being,  and,  as  such, 
entitled  to  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness! 

That  is  an  extreme  picture.  Yet  if  such  tragedies  occur  (as 
every  reader  knows  from  his  own  observation  and  experience 
they  do  occur  too  often)  among  those  who  have  voluntarily 
chosen  their  own  lines  of  work,  how  much  more  frequently 
must  they  occur  among  those  whose  daily  occupations  have 
been  determined  for  them,  not  through  any  voluntary  choice 
or  intelligent  guidance  but  solely  through  the  accident  of  having 
been  “thrown  into”  certain  jobs  when  they  were  young? 

That  is  the  way  in  which  the  vast  majority  of  individuals 
have  their  careers  shaped  for  them.  The  world  of  business 
and  industry  and  of  the  professions  is  full  of  blacksmiths  who 
ought  to  be  carpenters,  indifferent  lawyers  who  would  have 
made  good  dentists,  teachers  who  are  failures  because  they 
should  have  been  trained  as  stenographers,  good  cooks  who  have 
been  spoiled  to  make  mediocre  shop  attendants,  and  so  on 
through  the  list  of  possible  occupations.  Within  every  business 
organization,  moreover,  there  are  grades  and  degrees  of  require- 
ments and  responsibilities  into  which  some  employees  may  fit 
perfectly,  others  less  perfectly  and  others  not  at  all,  though  all 
be  drawn  from  the  same  group  or  from  those  performing  the 
same  general  class  of  service.  Here,  as  in  the  matter  of  original 
employment,  the  general  custom  of  dealing  with  the  human 


SCIENCE  VERSUS  GUESSWORK 


7 


element  in  industry  is  the  wasteful  “ hirc-and-fire  ” system, 
analogous  to  the  purchasing  of  machinery  or  equipment  without 
first  ascertaining  whether  it  will  do  the  work,  and  scrapping  it 
when  it  fails. 

We  found  out  long  ago  that  we  couldn’t  afford  to  do  that  sort 
of  thing  with  machinery.  We  are  just  beginning  to  find  out 
that  it  is  even  more  expensive  to  do  it  with  the  human  element 
in  industry. 

It  would  perhaps  be  going  too  far  to  claim  that  the  whole 
problem  of  the  “labour  turnover”  arises  from  the  effort  to  fit 
square  pegs  into  round  holes,  but  it  is  certain  that  a very  large 
share  of  all  human  troubles,  industrial  unrest,  discontent,  in- 
eflSciency  and  unhappiness  is  traceable  to  the  lack  of  proper 
adjustment  between  the  man  and  the  job,  and  this  in  turn  is 
due  in  large  part  to  the  failure  to  determine  in  advance  the  fit- 
ness of  the  particular  individual  for  the  particular  task. 

What  is  needed,  obviously,  is  a measure  of  human  capacities, 
just  as  we  have  means  of  measuring  every  phase  of  the  machine’s 
capacities. 

Just  as  we  measure  a machine  by  the  most  precise  gauges 
and  tests  available,  why  not  measure  the  human  individual 
by  the  most  precise  means  we  are  able  to  apply? 

The  word  “measure”  in  the  preceding  paragraph  does  not 
mean,  either  in  the  case  of  the  machine  or  of  the  man,  the  gross 
dimensions  of  length,  breadth,  and  thickness;  these  are  equally 
immaterial,  in  most  cases,  whether  the  subject  of  measurement 
be  a man  or  a machine.  One  measures  a machine  to  determine 
its  capacity  for  certain  work,  and  is  little  concerned  about  its 
characteristics  that  have  no  bearing  upon  those  qualities  that 
fit  it  for  those  particular  duties.  So  the  measurements  of  a 
human  being  whose  capacity  for  certain  duties  is  to  be  deter- 
mined must  be  of  those  qualities  which  enable  him  or  her  to  per- 
form according  to  a certain  predetermined  requirement. 

These  qualities,  in  man,  woman,  or  child,  can  be  measured; 
not  with  the  precision  with  which  an  engineer  measures  the 


8 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


parts  of  a machine  that  must  fit  within  a thousandth  of  an  inch, 
but  with  sufficient  accuracy  to  determine  quickly,  inexpensively, 
and  simply  whether  a given  individual  has  the  capacity  to  learn 
and  perform  any  given  task  or  class  of  work. 

To  explain  how  these  tests  can  be  made,  how  science  can  be 
and  is  being  substituted  for  guesswork  in  the  selection  of  human 
beings  for  jobs  and  of  jobs  for  human  beings,  just  as  science 
has  displaced  guesswork  in  the  selection  of  material  commodities, 
is  the  purpose  of  this  book. 

Let  us  first  point  out  clearjy  the  difference  between  science 
and  guesswork.  The  vast  majority  of  jobs  are  filled  by  guess- 
work. The  farmer  who  hires  a field  hand,  the  housewife  who 
employs  a cook,  the  foreman  who  takes  on  a new  “hand”  in 
the  factory,  and  even  employers  hiring  persons  for  more  respon- 
sible positions,  all  do  it,  to  a greater  degree  than  they  imagine, 
by  guesswork.  They  may  make  inquiries,  more  or  less  thorough 
depending  upon  the  compensation  and  responsibility  involved, 
of  persons  who  are  reputed  to  know  by  observation  something 
of  the  candidate’s  qualifications.  Unless  the  individual  under 
consideration  be  flagrantly  and  patently  unfit  the  reports  thus 
obtained  are  almost  always  favourable.  In  many  cases  no 
effort  is  made  even  to  obtain  such  reports. 

Many  persons  who  regard  themselves  as  intelligent  employ 
men  and  women  for  all  sorts  of  delicate  operations  and  confi- 
dential and  responsible  relations  as  a result  of  observation  alone; 
yet  observation  alone  will  tell  no  more  about  a man  or  a woman 
than  it  will  about  an  automobile — the  shape  and  the  colouring. 

When  you  observe  a human  being  you  can  determine  certain 
physical  characteristics,  such  as  size,  complexion,  colour  of  eyes 
and  hair,  soundness  of  teeth,  shape  of  body  and  head,  contour 
of  face,  features,  and  expression.  You  make  up  your  mind 
that  you  like  the  person  or  you  do  not.  But  as  for  determining 
by  means  of  anything  your  unaided  observation  discloses 
whether  or  not  the  person  under  examination  is  qualified  either 
to  perform  or  to  learn  how  to  perform  efficiently  a given  task 


SCIENCE  VERSUS  GUESSWORK 


or  set  of  tasks,  you  might  as  well  expect  to  discover  the  hill- 
climbing  power  of  an  automobile  by  merely  looking  at  it. 

Yet  that  is  precisely  the  way  in  which,  in  the  vast  majority 
of  cases,  the  supremely  important  work  of  fitting  individuals  and 
jobs  together  is  done  in  the  world  of  business  and  industry. 

True,  the  prospective  employer  usually  asks  a few  questions, 
but  the  applicant’s  manner  and  tone  of  voice  have  usually  as 
much  to  do  with  the  final  decision  as  the  actual  replies. 

Men  and  women  are  usually  hired,  in  short,  on  their  looks 
and  on  the  impressions  made  at  a single  short  interview.  That 
it  is  too  much  to  expect  persons  so  selected  to  fit  into  even  the 
simplest  sort  of  a business  or  industrial  organization  should  be 
obvious  to  every  intelligent  person;  that  sometimes  they  do  fit 
should  be  no  less  obviously  recognized  as  largely  accidental. 

We  do  not  recognize  the  absurdity  of  this  method  of  selecting 
persons  for  particular  positions,  partly  because  this  is  the  only 
way  most  of  us  have  ever  known  and  partly  because  there  is  in 
almost  every  human  being  a secret  or  subconscious  belief  in  his 
own  peculiar  powers  of  judging  others  by  means  of  surface  in- 
dications. 

The  fallacy  of  the  belief  that  one  may  arrive  at  accurate 
conclusions  as  to  individual  capacity  and  characteristics  by 
merely  looking  at  the  individuals  concerned  has  been  well  set 
forth  by  Prof.  L.  M.  Terman  of  Stanford  University.  Much 
of  the  popular  belief  in  the  efficacy  of  this  method.  Doctor  Ter- 
man believes,  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  public  does  not  know 
that  the  pretensions  of  the  pseudo-science  of  “phrenology”  were 
long  ago  shown  to  be  unwarranted.  According  to  phrenology, 
definite  and  constant  relations  are  believed  to  exist  between 
certain  mental  traits  and  the  contour  of  the  head.  Phrenolo- 
gists teach,  for  (jxample,  that  one’s  endowment  in  such  traits 
as  intelligence,  combativeness,  sympathy,  tenderness,  honesty, 
religious  fervour,  and  courage  may  be  judged  by  the  prominence 
of  various  parts  of  the  skull.  While  the  sincerity  of  Gall,  the 
French  physiologist  of  a century  ago  who  invented  the  so-called 


10 


MEASUEE  YOUR  MIND 


science,  and  of  his  followers,  is  not  to  be  questioned,  the  preten- 
sions of  phrenology  itself  have  been  thoroughly  exploded.  It 
has  been  demonstrated  that  traits  like  those  above  mentioned 
do  not  have  separate  and  well-defined  seats  in  the  brain  and 
that  skull  contour  is  not  a reliable  index  of  the  brain  develop- 
ment beneath. 

“In  the  underworld  of  pseudo-science,  however,’’  says  Pro- 
fessor Terman,  “phrenology  and  kindred  fakes  survive.  Hun- 
dreds of  men  and  women  still  earn  their  living  by  ‘feeling  bumps 
on  the  head,’  reading  character  from  the  lines  of  the  hand,  etc. 

“But  if  the  rating  of  men  by  pseudo-science  is  misleading, 
perhaps  science  is  still  unnecessary.  It  may  be  argued  that 
mental  traits  can  be  rated  accurately  enough  for  all  practical 
purposes  on  the  basis  of  ordinary  observation  of  one’s  behaviour, 
speech,  and  appearance.  We  are  constantly  judging  people  by 
this  offhand  method,  because  we  are  compelled  to  do  so.  Con- 
sequently we  all  acquire  a certain  facility  in  handling  the 
method.  For  ordinary  purposes  it  is  infinitely  better  than 
nothing.  A skilful  observer  can  estimate  roughly  the  height 
of  an  airplane;  but  if  we  would  know  its  real  height  we  must  use 
the  methods  of  science  and  perform  a mathematical  computa- 
tion. 

“The  trouble  with  the  observational  method  is  its  lack  of  a 
universal  standard  of  judgment.  One  observer  may  use  a high, 
another  a low  standard  of  comparison.  A four-story  building 
in  the  midst  of  New  York’s  ‘sky-scrapers’  looks  very  low; 
placed  in  the  midst  of  a wide  expanse  of  one-story  structures  it 
would  look  very  tall. 

“Moreover,  we  are  easily  misled  by  appearances.  The  writer 
knows  a young  man  who  looks  so  foolish  that  he  is  often  mis- 
taken by  casual  acquaintances  for  a mental  defective.  In 
reality  he  is  one  of  the  half  dozen  brightest  students  in  a large 
university.  Another  man  who  in  reality  has  the  mentality 
of  a ten-year-old  child  is  so  intelligent  looking  that  he  was  able 
to  secure  employment  as  a city  policeman. 


SCIENCE  VERSUS  GUESSWORK 


11 


“Language  is  a great  deceiver.  The  fluent  talker  is  likely  to 
be  overrated,  the  person  of  stumbling  or  monosyllabic  speech 
to  be  underrated.  Similar  errors  are  made  in  judging  the  in- 
telligence of  the  sprightly  and  the  stolid,  the  aggressive  and  the 
timid,  etc.  Our  tendency  is  also  to  overestimate  the  intellectual 
quality  of  our  friends  and  to  underestimate  that  of  persons  we 
do  not  like. 

“If  the  method  of  offhand  judgment  were  reliable,  different 
judges  would  agree  in  their  ratings  of  the  same  individual. 
When  the  judges  disagree  it  is  evident  that  not  all  can  be  cor- 
rect. When  intelligence  is  rated  in  this  way  wide  differences  of 
opinion  invariably  appear.  Twenty-five  members  of  a univer- 
sity class  who  had  worked  together  intimately  for  a year  were 
asked  to  rate  the  individuals  of  the  class  from  1 to  25  in  order 
of  intelligence.  The  result  was  surprising.  Almost  every 
member  of  the  class  was  rated  among  the  brightest  by  some- 
one, and  almost  every  member  of  the  class  among  the  dullest 
by  someone.  Doubtless  the  judges  were  misled  by  all  sorts  of 
irrelevant  matters,  such  as  personal  appearance,  fluency  of 
speech,  positiveness  of  manner,  personal  likes  and  dislikes,  etc. 

“The  method  of  personal  estimate  is  much  better  than  the 
method  of  external  signs  (phrenology),  but  to  be  reliable  it 
must  be  supplemented  by  a method  which  is  objectivey  that  is, 
a method  which  is  not  influenced  by  the  personal  bias  of  the 
judge  or  by  such  irrelevant  factors  as  the  appearance,  speech,  or 
bearing  of  the  one  to  be  rated.  Such  is  the  method  of  intelli- 
gence tests.” 

It  would,  of  course,  as  Professor  Terman  points  out,  be 
absurd  to  contend  that  it  is  impossible  to  arrive  at  a rough  esti- 
mate of  an  individual’s  capacities  and  character  by  observation, 
as  it  is  absurd  to  pretend  that  accurate  measurements  of  an 
individual’s  capacities  can  be  made  by  the  same  method.  There 
are  men  who  have  by  long  experience  learned  to  judge  on  very 
brief  contacts  the  possibilities  of  applicants  for  positions. 
Actually,  what  such  employers  do  is  to  apply,  though  crudely 


12 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


and  unscientifically,  a limited  number  of  tests  which  might 
fairly  be  classed  as  psychological.  Out  of  a long  experience 
they  have  accumulated  an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  work  to 
be  done  and  of  the  general  type  of  individual  who  has  been  found 
best  qualified  to  perform  that  work.  This  sort  of  ability,  how- 
ever, is  acquired  solely  through  long  experience,  and  even  then 
it  can  only  be  acquired  by  men  or  women  who  themselves 
possess  certain  mental  qualities,  which  might  easily  be  gauged 
and  classified,  the  possession  of  which  enables  them  to  accumu- 
late and  utilize  experience  in  this  manner. 

This  sort  of  ability  can  by  no  means  be  transferred  from  one 
individual  to  another  by  description  or  by  mere  training.  It  is 
precisely  like  the  ability  which  an  experienced  automobile  re- 
pair man  possesses,  that  enables  him  to  tell  by  a quick  inspec- 
tion and  after  only  a few  minutes  of  observation  what  are  the 
principal  things  the  matter  with  a car  and  what  service  it  is 
probably  able  to  perform.  But  a repair  man  cannot  tell  any- 
body else  how  to  size  up  an  automobile  at  a glance,  because  the 
only  way  any  one  can  learn  to  do  it  is  by  going  through  the  same 
process  of  taking  automobiles  apart  and  putting  them  together 
again  for  a period  of  years.  And  as  everyone  who  has  ever  had 
occasion  to  deal  with  automobile  repairs  is  aware,  the  most  ex- 
perienced repair  men  are  seldom  positive  that  they  know  just 
what  is  wrong  and  all  that  is  wrong  without  applying  precise 
measurements  and  painstaking  tests. 

It  is  easy  enough  to  determine  that  a delicate,  small-boned, 
slender  person  is  not  the  best  type  to  employ  for  digging  coal, 
loading  freight  cars,  or  other  arduous  manual  labour.  There 
are,  of  course,  many  classes  of  occupations  the  fitness  or  unfit- 
ness for  which  of  a particular  individual  must  be  determined  in 
the  first  place  by  that  individual’s  physical  characteristics.  So 
far  the  observation  method  suffices.  But  the  very  fact  that 
every  industry  and  business  is  full  of  misfits  and  that  it  is  a 
matter  of  common  knowledge  that  the  most  difficult  problem 
the  employer  has  to  face  is  that  of  finding  the  right  person  for 


SCIENCE  VERSUS  GUESSWORK 


13 


each  particular  job  that  calls  for  anything  more  than  mere 
physical  strength,  is  the  best  evidence  that  even  the  most  ex- 
perienced and  accurate  observers  are  far  from  infallible  in  their 
judgments  of  individual  capacities. 

For  that  matter,  there  is  no  infallible  test.  No  true  scientist 
claims  infallibility.  The  possibility  of  error  is  always  present 
wherever  the  human  element  is  involved.  It  is  a safe  assump- 
tion that  any  method  or  estimate  that  purports  to  be  infallible 
is  fraudulent.  There  is  in  almost  every  human  mind  a lurking, 
subconscious  belief  in  the  possibility  of  perfection.  It  is  this 
which  makes  humanity  credulous  when  claims  of  infallibility 
are  plausibly  presented. 

It  is  extremely  difficult  to  satisfy  by  logic  and  reason  the  type 
of  mind  that  is  strongly  influenced  by  glittering  generalities 
and  emphatic,  though  unsupported,  assertions.  It  is  equally 
difficult  to  convince  the  skeptic  whose  mind  is  closed  to  the  in- 
troduction of  new  thoughts  and  who,  in  his  self-satisfaction 
with  his  own  mental  limitations,  rejects  every  fact  that  does  not 
tally  with  his  preconceived  ideas. 

This  book  is  written  neither  for  the  super-skeptical  nor  the 
ultra-credulous.  It  makes  no  pretension  to  infallibility,  nor 
does  any  scientiflcally  trained  psychologist  pretend  that  there 
has  yet  been  evolved  a method  of  measuring  every  dimension 
and  capacity  of  the  human  mind  beyond  the  possibility  of  error. 
The  methods  described  in  this  book  are  the  fruit  of  years  of  ex- 
periment, research,  and  practical  application  of  the  results  of 
experiment  and  research,  and  are  designed  to  reflect  the  develop- 
ment of  the  science  of  psychology  in  its  application  to  mental 
measurements  as  closely  as  it  is  possible  to  do  so  within  the  lim- 
its of  a single  volume  written  primarily  for  the  reader  who  has 
no  special  scientific  training  along  psychological  lines. 

The  reader  who  is  not  prepared  and  willing  to  examine  facts 
and  at  least  to  take  all  the  ascertainable  facts  into  consideration 
before  forming  his  conclusions  is  not  likely  to  be  interested.  The 
scientific  method  of  character  analysis  or  mental  measurement 


14 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


is  based  upon  the  comparison  of  the  largest  possible  collection  of 
ascertained  facts.  Guess  work  has  no  place  in  it.  Psychology 
has  small  dealings  with  intuition  and  instinct  nor  is  it  in  any 
way  derived  from  magic  or  concerned  with  the  occult.  There 
are  no  unfathomable  mysteries.  There  is  no  fact  about  the 
operation  of  the  human  mind  which  cannot  be  subjected  to  sci- 
entific investigation  and  measurement  by  any  intelligent  person. 
The  scientific  method  requires  that  every  conclusion  must  square 
with  the  results  obtained  by  the  experimental  application  of  all 
related  facts  or  be  discredited  as  worthless.  Theories  have  no 
place  in  science,  except  as  something  to  be  disproved  if  possible, 
and  a single  fact  which  does  not  square  with  any  theory  dis- 
proves the  theory. 

The  scientific  method  of  mental  measurement  has  passed  the 
theoretical  stage.  It  has  squared  with  the  facts  wherever  it 
has  been  intelligently  applied.  It  has  been  demonstrated  in  a 
wide  range  of  business  and  industrial  applications,  in  education 
and  in  its  use  in  determining  the  qualities  and  fitness  of  officers 
and  men  in  the  Army  and  Navy.  What  it  offers  is  the  shortest, 
simplest,  and  most  accurate  means  available  of  determining 
human  capacities  and  qualities. 

Professor  Terman  has  admirably  summarized  the  advan- 
tages of  the  scientific  method  of  testing  intelligence,  as  follows : 

“1.  It  gives  us  a universal  standard  of  comparison.  The  re- 
sult is  absolutely  uninfluenced  by  the  general  intellectual  level 
of  the  group  with  which  the  subject  to  be  rated  happens  to  be 
associated.  It  is  like  measuring  the  height  of  a house  instead 
of  estimating  it  by  comparison  with  the  height  of  surrounding 
buildings. 

“2.  It  multiplies  enormously  the  significance  of  mental 
performance.  It  does  this  by  making  fine  distinctions  which 
would  be  overlooked  by  the  method  of  offhand  judgment.  It 
is  like  placing  a smeared  glass  under  a microscope  and  discover- 
ing that  the  smear  is  a complicated  network  of  organic  matter. 

“3.  The  test  method  is  objective;  that  is,  free  from  the  in- 


SCIENCE  VERSUS  GUESSWORK 


15 


fluence  of  personal  bias.  It  gives  approximately  the  same  ver- 
dict to-day,  next  week,  or  next  year.  It  does  not  change  its 
opinion.  More  important  still,  the  verdict  will  be  approximately 
the  same  whoever  makes  the  test,  whether  a relative,  a stranger, 
a friend,  or  an  enemy,  provided  only  that  the  rules  of  procedure 
be  rigidly  followed. 

“4.  The  test  result  is  little  influenced  by  the  subject’s  educa- 
tional advantages.  In  this  it  differs  greatly  from  offhand  judg- 
ment, which  so  easily  mistakes  the  results  of  schooling  for  real 
intelligence.  The  test  method  probes  beneath  the  veneer  of 
education  and  gives  an  index  of  raw  ‘brain  power.’  For  exam- 
ple, a young  woman  who  had  been  stolen  in  early  childhood  by 
gypsies  and  had  spent  her  life  with  them  was  given  the  Binet- 
Simon  intelligence  test.  She  had  never  attended  school  a day 
in  her  life  and  had  only  learned  to  read  by  bribing  a little  school 
girl  to  teach  her  the  alphabet;  yet  she  made  a higher  score  than 
the  average  found  for  two  hundred  high-school  pupils  who  were 
given  the  same  test. 

“No  wonder,”  Professor  Terman  concludes,  “mentality 
tests  have  acquired  such  a wide  vogue  in  the  ten  years  since 
Binet  gave  to  the  world  the  first  successful  intelligence  scale. 
In  that  time  they  have  demonstrated  their  usefulness  in  the 
study  of  the  feeble-minded,  in  the  grading  of  school-children, 
in  determining  the  mental  responsibility  of  offenders,  and  in  the 
selection  of  employees.  Their  largest  and  most  useful  applica- 
tions have  been  in  the  mental  classification  of  men  in  the  United 
States  Army.” 


CHAPTER  II 


THE  APPLICATIONS  OF  PSYCHOLOGICAL  TESTS 

The  intelligent  reader  has  by  this  time  begun  to  see  for  him- 
self some  of  the  possibilities  opened  up  by  the  use  of  scientific 
mental  tests,  and  to  perceive  their  applicability  in  a wide  diver- 
sity of  fields.  In  later  chapters  specific  examples  of  such  appli- 
cations are  given  in  detail,  and  suggestions  offered  for  still  other 
uses  of  the  tests  which  are  contained  in  this  book. 

The  usefulness  of  all  mental  tests,  whether  those  which  are 
offered  in  this  volume  under  the  general  title  of  “The  Men  ti- 
me ter,”  or  others  that  may  be  set  up  with  equal  scientific  preci- 
sion, depends  upon,  or  at  least  is  greatly  enhanced,  by  the  most 
complete  understanding  of  the  underlying  principles  on  the  part 
of  the  person  who  undertakes  to  apply  them.  The  purpose  of 
this  and  the  next  three  succeeding  chapters  is  to  make  these 
principles  so  plain  that  by  the  time  the  reader  has  reached  the 
tests  themselves  he  will  have  a perfectly  clear  understanding, 
not  only  of  what  the  Mentimeter  tests  are  but  of  why  they  have 
been  put  into  the  form  in  which  he  finds  them,  and  of  how 
their  use  will  enable  him  to  gauge  human  intelligence  and  ca- 
pacity with  a greater  degree  of  accuracy  than  he  has  found 
possible  by  other  means.  If,  perchance,  psychologists  find  in 
this  volume  much  that  is  to  them  elementary,  it  should  be  kept 
in  mind  that  it  is  only  through  the  widest  possible  spread  of 
sound  understanding  of  psychological  principles  that  the  wider 
application  of  them  in  the  ordinary  walks  of  life  can  be  brought 
about.  That,  the  authors  take  it,  is  the  great  end  toward 
which  scientific  psychologists  are  aiming,  and  that  is  the  aim  of 
this  book. 


16 


APPLICATIONS  OF  PSYCHOLOGICAL  TESTS  17 


The  general  purpose  of  psychological  tests  is  to  determine 
how  individuals  compare  with  one  another  in  mental  capacity, 
or  with  standards  based  upon  the  capacities  of  individuals  known 
to  possess  certain  qualities.  Thus,  it  may  be  desirable,  as  it 
frequently  is,  to  determine  the  relative  abilities  of  the  individ- 
uals of  a certain  group,  like  a school  or  college  class,  clerks  em- 
ployed in  a similar  form  of  work,  a number  of  applicants  for  a 
certain  position  for  which  only  the  most  capable  among  the 
candidates  is  desired,  or  the  soldiers  of  a particular  company  or 
regiment.  What  is  required  here  is  a method  of  grading  these 
individuals  with  reference  to  one  another,  by  means  of  tests 
which  need  not  necessarily  have  any  relation  to  any  external 
standard  of  mental  perfection. 

The  process  here  is  as  if  one  were  to  be  told  to  pick  out  of  all 
the  automobiles  in  a garage  the  best  one,  the  next  best,  and  so 
on,  classifying  these  particular  cars  and  no  others  with  relation 
to  one  another  and  not  with  respect  to  any  standards  of  automo- 
bile perfection  introduced  from  outside.  None  of  the  cars 
might  be  perfect;  perhaps  the  best  one  of  the  lot  has  leaky  piston- 
rings  and  none  of  them  will  climb  a 10  per  cent,  grade  on  high 
gear.  It  is  a comparatively  easy  matter,  however,  to  devise 
a few  simple  tests  that  will  grade  a dozen  or  fifty  automobiles 
in  regard  to  their  relative  ability  to  climb  hills,  carry  loads,  and 
perform  the  other  services  expected  of  an  automobile.  The 
one  that  will  climb  hills  the  best  may  not  also  be  the  one  that 
will  carry  the  heaviest  load  or  travel  the  most  miles  on  a gallon 
of  gasolene,  but  out  of  such  a series  of  group  tests  any  one  inter- 
ested can  readily  determine  which  of  all  the  automobiles  in  the 
group  is  the  best  general  purpose  car,  which  the  poorest,  and 
about  where  the  others  grade  with  reference  to  these  two  ex- 
tremes. 

That  is  about  the  process  that  a man  engaged  in  the  automo- 
bile trucking  business  would  use  in  determining  which  one  of 
the  cars  he  has  available  is  best  adapted  for  a particular  piece 
of  hauling  that  is  to  be  done.  He  wants  to  know  which  of  his 


18 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


cars  he  can  rely  upon  for  any  one  of  many  different  sorts  of 
service,  but  he  particularly  wants  to  know  all  the  time  which  of 
them  are  worth  spending  money  on  for  repairs  and  improve- 
ments and  general  overhauling  and  which  are  either  so  poorly 
constructed  in  the  first  place  or  so  hopelessly  out  of  repair  that 
it  is  cheaper  to  scrap  them  than  to  spend  any  more  money  on 
trying  to  make  them  fit  for  service. 

In  other  wordsy  the  automobile  owner  needs  to  know  which  of  his 
cars,  however  poor  its  present  ability,  has  such  inherent  qualities 
as  to  justify  the  belief  that  it  can  be  made  more  efficient  by  proper 
attention  and  reasonable  expenditure  of  money. 

Now,  that  is  precisely  what  the  employer  of  workers,  the  com- 
mander of  soldiers,  the  teacher  of  a class  or  any  one  else  charged 
with  responsibility  for  the  performance  of  any  sort  of  tasks  by 
any  group  of  human  beings,  wants  to  know  about  the  individuals 
under  his  direction.  He  should  know  or  be  able  to  determine 
readily  not  alone  what  each  of  the  individuals  can  actually  do 
and  which  ones  can  do  particular  tasks  better  than  the  others, 
but  it  is  important  for  him  to  know  the  relative  capacities  of  the 
entire  group,  so  that  he  can  determine,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
automobiles  which  have  been  used  as  an  illustration,  which  of 
them  are  most  worth  spending  time  and  effort  upon  in  the  ex- 
pectation that  they  will  learn  to  do  even  more  difficult  tasks, 
and  which  of  them  are  so  hopelessly  incapable  that  nothing  is 
to  be  expected  of  them  except  the  simplest  routine  perform- 
ances. 

Now,  the  man  who  operates  a fleet  of  automobile  trucks  does 
not  stop  when  he  has  made  a comparison  of  the  vehicles  in  his 
garage  with  one  another,  but  is  constantly  comparing  the  per- 
formance of  each  with  standards  established  by  other  cars, 
machines  of  different  makes,  and  with  new  machines.  There 
exists,  and  he  is  constantly  conscious  of  its  existence,  an  ideal 
standard  of  performance  for  automobiles  to  which  his  cars  must 
conform  as  nearly  as  possible  if  their  service  is  to  be  satisfactory. 

So,  in  measuring  human  capacity,  it  is  not  enough  to  compare 


APPLICATIONS  OF  PSYCHOLOGICAL  TESTS  19 


the  individuals  of  a group  with  one  another,  though  this  is  es- 
sential and  for  some  purposes  temporarily  sufficient;  there  are 
available  standards  based  upon  the  actual  achievements  of  in- 
dividuals of  known  capacity  by  which  the  mental  powers  of 
any  and  all  individuals  may  be  gauged.  It  will  readily  be 
seen  that  the  employer  of  a number  of  persons — engaged,  let  us 
say,  in  some  specific  mechanical  or  clerical  operation — needs  to 
know  not  only  whether  some  of  these  are  capable  of  being 
trained  to  do  better  work  and  some  so  incapable  of  further 
training  that  it  would  be  cheaper  to  discharge  them  and  fill 
their  places  with  more  intelligent  persons,  but  also  to  know  how 
any  particular  group  of  employees  compares  in  average  intelli- 
gence and  how  each  one  of  the  group  compares  in  individual 
intelligence  with  the  average  or  higher-than-average  capacity 
of  those  outside  of  his  own  particular  business  establishment 
who  are  engaged  in  similar  work. 

This  is  a matter  of  dollars  and  cents  to  the  employer.  If  he 
can  obtain  a standard  that  is  universal  or  nearly  so,  that  tells 
him,  in  fact,  what  all  of  the  employers  in  his  line  of  business  have 
found  to  be  the  average  or  the  limits  of  mental  capacity  possessed 
by  workers  of  a particular  class,  then  he  is  in  a position  to  deter- 
mine whether  he  is  getting  equally  good  service  for  the  wages 
which  he  pays  as  is  obtained  by  other  employers  requiring  simi- 
lar service. 

To  illustrate  concretely:  in  an  office  employing  twenty  sten- 
ographers on  correspondence,  it  is  not  only  necessary  for  the 
employer  to  know  which  of  these  stenographers  is  the  most 
competent  and  which  the  least  and  whether  the  less  competent 
are  incapable  merely  because  they  are  beginners  or  because  they 
lack  the  necessary  mental  capacity  ever  to  become  competent. 
He  should  also  be  able  to  measure  the  mental  capacity  of  the 
entire  group  by  some  standard  based  upon  the  performance  of 
thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of  stenographers  of  known  de- 
grees of  ability.  He  may  discover  that  the  most  competent 
of  his  entire  staff  is  only  as  capable  as  the  average  of  good  sten- 


20 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


ographers  everywhere.  Obviously,  his  business  is  handicapped 
by  having  a stenographic  force  which  is  inferior  in  capacity  and, 
consequently,  in  accuracy,  speed,  and  other  essential  require- 
ments, to  the  average  of  stenographic  office  staffs  in  business 
generally.  Once  this  has  been  determined,  the  intelligent 
employer  will  proceed  to  replace  the  stenographers  who  are 
incapable  of  improvement,  as  indicated  by  the  tests  applied, 
with  stenographers  who  respond  to  the  standard  tests  with  a 
score  well  above  the  average. 

So,  too,  with  the  teacher.  It  is  comparatively  easy  for  the 
teacher  to  classify  his  or  her  pupils  into  bright,  stupid,  and 
mediocre,  through  observation  alone.  What  is  more  important, 
however,  is  to  determine  several  things  about  each  pupil  which 
observation  alone  does  not  tell.  Are  the  stupid  ones  really 
stupid  or  merely  inattentive.^  Have  they  the  necessary  mental 
capacity  to  perform  the  assigned  work  of  the  class  or  are  they 
simply  lazy.^^  Few  teachers  can  answer  this  question;  none 
with  any  degree  of  accuracy  without  the  application  of  scientific 
tests  of  mental  capacity.  Are  the  bright  children  really  bright 
by  comparison  with  other  children  of  the  same  age  and  school 
grade  or  do  they  merely  shine  by  contrast  with  the  dull  members 
of  the  class.?  This  question  can  by  no  means  be  answered  ac- 
curately except  by  the  application  of  mental  capacity  tests. 
In  another  chapter  some  of  the  concrete  applications  of  mental 
tests  in  education  are  described  at  length.  The  point  to  be  em- 
phasized here  is  that  the  measurement  of  the  mental  capacities 
of  any  group  should  be  based  upon  standards  that  will  not  only 
determine  the  relative  capacities  of  the  members  of  the  group 
but  will,  at  the  same  time,  compare  them  all  with  standards 
that  reflect  the  known  average  and  maximum  capacities  of  all 
others  of  similar  age  and  environment. 

The  purpose  of  these  tests  might  be  summed  up  somewhat  as 
follows : 

To  measure,  hy  comparison  with  the  group  average  or  with  very 
carefully  determined  standards,  some  of  the  infinite  number  of 


APPLICATIONS  OF  PSYCHOLOGICAL  TESTS  21 


qualities  and  abilities,  the  possession  of  which  by  the  individual 
renders  him  more  or  less  susceptible  to  education  and  training  or 
more  or  less  capable  of  successfully  performing  certain  actions  re- 
quiring conscious  direction  from  the  mind. 

It  requires  no  special  argument  to  point  out  how  a general 
application  of  tests  that  disclose  actual  mental  capacities  might 
profoundly  affect  our  judgment  of  men  of  all  classes  and  walks 
of  life.  Were  it  possible  to  ticket  and  catalogue  the  whole 
human  race  in  accordance  with  the  capacity  of  each  individual 
as  disclosed  under  properly  devised  psychological  tests,  we  would 
no  longer  permit  the  superficial  absence  of  polish  and  taste  to 
blind  us  to  the  inherent  powers  and  capacities  of  the  self-made 
man,  nor,  on  the  other  hand,  would  we  be  so  ready  to  assume 
that  the  well-dressed,  fiuent  talker,  no  matter  how  prepossessing 
in  appearance  and  manner,  was  necessarily  able  and  worthy  of 
confidence.  Likewise,  once  such  a classification  became  univer- 
sal, it  is  conceivable  that  many  business  men  and  others  who 
are  prone  to  criticize  the  universities  and  their  products  would  be 
more  tolerant  of  the  recent  graduate,  whose  mental  capacity  is 
in  no  wise  reflected  by  the  particular  variety  of  contents  with 
which  his  mind  has  been  filled  in  college. 

Besides  the  application  of  scientific  mental  tests  as  already 
indicated,  in  business  and  industry  and  in  education,  by  the 
employer  or  the  teacher,  there  is  another  and  important  use  to 
which  standardized  tests,  based  upon  determined  capacities  of 
groups  and  individuals  of  known  ability,  may  be  put.  This  is 
the  use  of  such  tests  by  the  individual  upon  himself  for  the  pur- 
pose of  determining  his  own  mental  capacity  in  a particular 
direction  or  of  a particular  kind  as  compared  with  the  mental 
capacity  of  others.  The  man  or  woman  bent  on  self-improve- 
ment or  advancement  may  thus,  within  certain  limits,  assess 
by  the  application  of  standardized  tests  his  or  her  own  mental 
quality  and  capacity. 

Again  it  is  unnecessary  to  point  out  the  advantage  to  the 
young  man  or  young  woman  endeavouring  to  decide  upon  a 


22 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


career  or  to  determine  what  particular  course  of  study  to  pursue 
or  line  of  business  to  enter,  in  being  enabled  to  obtain  an 
accurate  gauge  of  his  or  her  own  qualities,  powers,  and  limita- 
tions. Taste  and  inclination  are  no  safe  guides  to  life  unless 
there  is  coupled  with  them  inherent  capacity  for  the  competent 
exercise  of  the  faculties  which  make  the  gratification  of  one’s  in- 
dividual tastes  and  inclinations  possible.  Thus  it  may  be  that 
the  individual’s  inclinations  and  tastes  run  strongly  toward 
music,  toward  art  in  any  of  its  various  forms,  but  that  physical 
and  mental  inhibitions,  the  presence  or  absence  of  which  may 
be  readily  determined,  make  it  impossible  for  the  possessor  of 
such  tastes  to  hope  to  be  able  to  perform  creditably  the  acts 
which  a successful  artist  or  musician  must  perform. 

Properly  devised  and  applied  psychological  tests  may  con- 
ceivably disclose  the  existence  of  mental  powers  and  capacities 
unsuspected  or  neglected  because  overshadowed  by  strong 
inclinations  in  other  directions;  early  knowledge  of  the  posses- 
sion of  such  capacities  may  easily  direct  their  possessors  into 
fields  in  which  they  can  thrive  and  prosper  and  achieve  far 
greater  happiness  and  contentment  than  would  ever  be  possible 
through  a lifetime  of  striving  to  do  that  for  which  they  are  not 
fitted  by  inheritance. 


CHAPTER  III 


WHAT  THESE  TESTS  MEASURE 

The  most  natural  question  and  one  that  is  frequently  asked 
is: 

“What,  precisely,  do  psychological  tests  measure?” 

It  is  a question  that  is  easier  to  ask  than  to  answero 

It  is  simple  enough  to  say  that  mental  tests  are  designed  to 
measure  the  natural  or  inherent  mental  capacity  of  the  individ- 
ual, but  in  order  to  approach  a clear  understanding  of  just 
what  this  means  we  must  first  define  what  is  meant  by  the  term 
“mental  capacity.” 

As  a matter  of  scientific  fact,  the  term  “mental  capacity”  can 
hardly  be  regarded  as  accurate,  although  it  is  the  best  term  we 
have  to  describe  the  qualities  which  determine  the  individual’s 
ability  to  perform  acts  requiring  conscious  thought.  Psycho- 
logical and  biological  science  no  longer  regards  the  human  mind 
ac  something  different  from  or  in  any  way  apart  from  the  human 
body.  The  idea  that  there  is  such  an  entity  as  a mind  that 
operates  even  in  the  slightest  degree  without  reference  to  and 
independent  of  the  physical  body  must  be  dismissed,  if  we  are 
to  grasp  clearly  the  principles  and  methods  of  mental  tests. 

To  the  psychologist  the  mind  is  merely  a specialized  organ 
of  the  physical  body.  The  intangible  something,  which  is 
what  is  usually  meant  when  persons  speak  of  the  human  mind, 
is  merely  the  sum  of  all  the  sensations,  feelings,  and  judgments 
resulting  from  the  delicate  adjustment  of  an  almost  infinite 
number  of  nerve  fibres  which  in  themselves  are  a part  of  the 
physical  body.  One  may  have  at  birth  a plentiful  supply  or  a 
poor  supply  of  potential  nerve  endings  which  are  ready  to  be 
23 


24 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


organized  and  coordinated  by  experience  and  training,  but  un- 
less  one  has  the  opportunity  to  learn  from  study  and  experience, 
the  desirable  connections  may  never  be  developed. 

The  maximum  capacity  of  the  mind  in  any  particular  field  is, 
therefore,  practically  determined  by  physical  inheritance  of  an 
abundant  supply  of  nerve  endings.  Thus,  it  may  be  that  one 
individual  is  born  with  two  or  three  times  as  many  nerve  ter- 
minals connecting  at  the  point  at  the  back  of  the  eyeball  where 
the  optic  nerve — which  is  simply  a bundle  or  rope  of  nerve 
fibres — is  attached  to  the  mechanical  apparatus  upon  which  the 
refiection  of  objects  passing  before  the  field  of  vision  is  registered. 
Such  an  individual’s  powers  of  observation  are  normally  greater 
than  those  of  the  person  of  less  fortunate  heredity  in  this  respect, 
whose  lesser  number  of  terminals  of  the  optic  nerve  fibres  limit 
his  powers  of  optical  perception  and  observation.  Thus,  one 
person  may  see  at  a glance  a hundred  details,  all  of  which  regis- 
ter sharply  upon  his  consciousness,  while  another  sees  only  the 
gross  outlines  and  shadows,  and  in  between  is  the  average  per- 
son who  sees  some  details  but  not  all. 

It  is  well  known  to  psychologists  and  biologists,  although 
not  generally  understood  by  those  who  have  not  made  a special 
study  of  these  sciences,  that  mental  capacity  does  not  change 
or  increase  materially  after  the  individual  has  reached  maturity. 
It  may  be  diminished  through  accident  or  disease,  but  the  chief 
increase  in  adult  life  is  in  the  volume  and  variety  of  stored-up 
impressions.  The  average  girl  of  eighteen  or  boy  of  twenty  has 
reached  the  approximate  limit  of  his  or  her  mental  capacity. 
The  mental  tank  will  never  grow  much  larger.  It  may  be  half 
empty  or  almost  entirely  vacant,  but  unless  at  the  average  age 
of  university  sophomores  scientific  mental  tests  prove  the  in- 
dividual to  be  possessed  of  average  or  better  than  avera^ge  men- 
tal capacity,  it  is  futile  to  expect  any  great  intellectual  develop- 
ment to  take  place  in  later  life. 

But  while  the  maximum  capacity  of  the  mind  depends  upon 
physical  inheritance,  the  actual  ability  which  is  necessarily 


WHAT  THESE  TESTS  MEASURE 


35 


reflected  in  the  scores  made  by  a person  subjected  to  mental 
tests  is  determined  by  the  number  and  variety  of  nerve  con- 
nections that  have  actually  been  made  by  environment  or 
training.  Inheritance  sets  the  maximum  limit,  but  as  a matter 
of  practice  this  maximum  is  never  reached,  or  at  least  is  so 
seldom  reached  by  any  individual  that  it  can  hardly  be  said  of 
any  human  being  that  he  has  developed  his  mind  in  any  direc- 
tion to  the  utmost  limit  of  its  capacity.  What  we  actually 
measure  in  scientific  mental  tests  is  a complex  of  natural  or 
inherent  abilities  plus  the  results  of  education  and  training; 
because,  while  it  is  possible  to  a considerable  extent  to  eliminate 
by  properly  devised  tests  a record  of  the  individual’s  acquired 
knowledge,  it  is  practically  impossible  to  distinguish  between 
acquired  and  inherent  mental  ability. 

Note  carefully  the  distinction  between  mental  ability  and 
mental  capacity.  Mental  ability  in  any  individual  is  always 
less  than  his  mental  capacity.  If,  therefore,  the  mental  ability 
as  determined  by  scientific  tests  reaches  the  highest  point  on  the 
scale  of  measurement,  whatever  that  may  be,  it  follows  that  the 
mental  capacity  of  the  individual  making  a perfect  score  is  even 
greater  than  the  scale  is  designed  to  measure,  and  how  much 
greater  can  only  be  determined  by  setting  up  new  tests  based 
upon  higher  standards. 

The  result  of  any  scientific  test  simply  indicates  the  wealth  of 
nerve  connections  that  are  ready  to  be  made  when  the  stimulus 
necessary  to  their  establishment  is  applied.  It  must  be  under- 
stood that  no  one  having  a sound  claim  to  the  possession  of 
scientific  knowledge  can  contend  that  there  are  tests  in  existence 
that  actually  measure  with  complete  precision  the  inherited  as 
distinguished  from  the  acquired  mental  characteristics.  It  is 
not  conceded,  however,  that  such  precise  measurements  cannot 
be  made  if  at  any  time  it  becomes  necessary  or  desirable  to  do  so. 
For  all  practical  present-day  purposes  it  is  sufficient  that  psycho- 
logical tests  shall  measure  mental  qualities  which  are  manifested 
by  the  individual’s  ability  to  express  them  by  action  or  speech. 


26 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


The  classification  of  individuals  relative  to  one  another  and  with 
reference  to  the  possession  of  a particular  mental  ability  or  group 
of  abilities  is,  therefore,  necessarily  based  upon  their  relative 
ability  to  express  in  some  intelligible  and  unmistakable  fashion 
their  mental  power  and  qualities. 

Back  of  this  power  of  expression  may  lie  hidden  and  un- 
dreamed-of capacities  of  which  the  individual  himself  may  be 
vaguely  conscious  but  of  which  he  can  give  no  outward  mani- 
festation. It  may  be,  for  example,  that  an  individual  is  gifted 
with  unusual  powers  of  perception  through  the  eyes,  ears,  and 
the  senses  of  touch,  smell,  and  taste  but  that  he  is  deficient  in 
nerve  fibres  and  connections  controlling  the  voluntary  muscles 
by  which  human  beings  translate  sensations  into  action  and 
speech.  This  is  hardly  likely,  as  a physiological  fact,  to  occur; 
the  individual  born  with  rich  nerve  endings  in  one  part  of  the 
physical  body  is  more  likely  to  have  a proportionate  supply  of 
nerve  endings  in  all  other  parts  of  the  body  than  to  be  deficient 
in  one  part  and  amply  supplied  in  another.  As  rare  exceptions, 
however,  there  are  individuals  who  in  infancy  have,  through 
accident  or  disease,  lost  certain  groups  of  nerve  connections 
while  retaining  unusually  rich  groups  in  other  parts  of  the  body. 
There  is,  of  course,  the  most  famous  case  in  modern  history,  that 
of  Helen  Keller,  whose  auditory  and  optical  nerve  connections 
were  lost  through  disease  in  early  infancy,  but  whose  unusual 
inherent  mental  capacity  has  been  able  to  demonstrate  itself 
through  other  and  extraordinary  means  as  a result  of  training 
and  education. 

But  in  ordinary  life,  if  a man  or  a woman  has  some  mental 
quality  which  does  not  express  itself  in  an  action  which  other 
persons  can  see  or  hear  and  know  about,  then  it  is  not  socially 
important.  It  is  of  consequence  only  to  the  individual  and  it  is 
of  little  social  service  to  undertake  to  measure  these  obscure  and 
unexpressed  and  inexpressible  capacities,  as  they  can  never, 
until  they  find  means  of  expression,  affect  the  individual’s  ability 
or  efficiency  in  any  occupation.  It  is  not  that  these  things  can- 


WHAT  THESE  TESTS  MEASURE 


27 


not  be  measured.  The  case  of  Helen  Keller  is  one  demonstra- 
tion that  they  can  be  measured.  Anything  whatever  that 
makes  a difference  in  the  way  different  individuals  act  is  con- 
ceivably measurable,  although  it  may  not  at  the  present  time 
be  capable  of  exact  calculation  because  it  has  not  been  worth 
anybody’s  time  and  effort  to  undertake  to  measure  it. 

To  repeat,  and  possibly  to  make  the  preceding  paragraphs 
more  clear,  let  us  recapitulate  the  different  mental  qualities  to 
which  reference  has  been  made. 

First,  mental  capacity.  This  is  what  the  individual  has  in- 
herited. It  is  the  size  of  the  tank  into  which  sensations,  per- 
ceptions, all  that  makes  up  the  sum  of  knowledge,  are  poured 
throughout  his  life,  by  his  education  and  his  experience.  While 
this  capacity  in  the  case  of  any  individual  can  doubtless  be 
measured,  it  is  not  necessary  to  measure  it  precisely  but  merely 
to  determine  whether  it  is  large  enough  for  the  purposes  in  view. 

Second,  mental  ability.  This  is  the  sum  of  experience  and 
education  within  the  limits  of  the  individual’s  mental  capacity. 
It  is  represented  by  the  individual’s  ability  to  express  himself 
in  speech  or  action  in  the  performance  of  any  one  of  a number 
of  specific  acts.  This  mental  ability  can  be  quite  definitely 
measured,  and  the  possession  of  a certain  degree  of  mental 
ability  demonstrates  the  possession  of  a mental  capacity  greater 
than  the  ability  which  the  individual  has  already  reached. 

Third,  acquired  knowledge.  It  is  not  the  purpose  of  tests  of 
mental  capacity  to  measure  acquired  knowledge,  although  for 
many  purposes  it  is  desirable  to  measure  the  individual’s  ac- 
quired knowledge  in  addition  to  his  inherent  ability,  and  in  a 
still  larger  number  of  instances  the  most  practical  way  of  ar- 
riving at  a fairly  accurate  estimate  of  an  individual’s  ability 
involves,  among  other  tests,  an  examination  into  the  extent  of 
the  knowledge  which  he  has  acquired  through  observation  or 
training  along  lines  definitely  related  to  his  particular  occupa- 
tion or  pursuit  in  life. 

The  ordinary  and  standardized  school  and  university  exam- 


28 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


inations,  civil-service  examinations,  etc.,  which  have  long  been 
the  accepted  test  of  the  individual’s  ability,  do  not,  and  do  not 
purport  to,  measure  anything  more  than  this  last  item,  that  of 
acquired  knowledge.  But  while  certain  gross  dimensions  of 
individual  capacity  may  be  roughly  estimated  from  the  results 
of  a written  or  an  oral  examination  based  entirely  upon  the  sub- 
ject’s stored-up  knowledge,  it  is  a matter  of  common  knowledge, 
and  almost  every  reader  will  be  able  to  furnish  examples  out  of 
his  own  experience,  that  such  tests  are  frequently  totally  mis- 
leading. Professor  Terman  has  reported  on  a comparison  of 
the  results  of  civil-service  examinations  for  policemen  and  fire- 
men in  a California  city  with  scientific  tests  applied  to  the  in- 
dividuals who  successfully  passed  the  civil-service  examinations. 
The  results  were  in  many  instances  astounding.  Men  of  such 
low  mental  capacity  that  they  might  almost  be  classed  as  feeble- 
minded were  found  to  have  passed  with  a fair  degree  of  satisfac- 
tion the  simple  knowledge  and  physical  tests  set  up  by  the  city 
and  to  have  obtained  appointments  to  these  responsible  posts 
as  guardians  of  the  city’s  property  and  lives* 

While  it  is,  therefore,  the  object  of  scientific  mental  tests  to 
exclude  as  far  as  possible  the  acquired  abilities  resulting  from 
education  and  environment  and  the  knowledge  that  has  been 
stored  up  through  observation  and  training,  it  is  found  in  prac- 
tice that  for  all  ordinary  purposes  it  is  sufiicient  to  measure  a 
complex  of  native  and  acquired  abilities.  The  purpose  of  these 
tests  is,  in  short,  to  discover  what  the  individual  is  actually  able 
to  do,  regardless  of  the  source  of  that  ability,  provided,  however, 
that  the  test  of  ability  is  so  devised  as  to  make  a clear  distinc- 
tion between  mere  feats  of  memory  and  the  actual  exercise  of 
original  thought. 

Now,  it  must  be  obvious  that  for  the  measurement  of  any- 
thing so  complex  and  multi-dimensioned  as  the  human  mind, 
no  single  test  or  scale  can  be  established.  One  cannot  measure 
the  power  of  visual  perception,  for  example,  by  the  same  scale 
that  is  used  to  measure  attentiveness  or  initiative.  As  a matter 


WHAT  THESE  TESTS  MEASURE 


29 


of  fact,  psychologists  no  longer  attempt  to  classify  human  abili- 
ties as  narrowly  as  was  once  the  popular  practice.  It  is  almost 
impossible  for  even  an  expert  psychologist  to  be  sure  he  knows 
just  what  qualities  and  all  the  qualities  any  particular  test  meas- 
ures. This  is  because  modern  psychologists  no  longer  group 
reactions  into  general  functions  such  as  memory,  attention,  rea- 
son, etc.,  but  simply  describe  accurately  the  stimulus  given  and 
the  conditions  under  which  it  was  given  and  then  describe  just 
as  accurately  what  the  reaction  is.  The  test  may  be  built  up, 
for  example,  to  measure  ability  to  recognize  and  classify  words, 
but  it  will  also  depend  upon  ability  to  read  the  directions,  ability 
to  attend  closely  to  horizontal  and  vertical  lines  and  upon  many 
other  correlated  abilities.  Any  test  may  measure  primarily  a 
particular  mental  dimension  or  ability  but  it  is  quite  certain 
that  the  resulting  score  will  be  influenced  by  numberless  other 
factors  than  the  one  that  the  examiner  is  most  interested  in 
measuring. 

But  since  one  of  the  very  best  tests  of  intelligence  is,  of  course, 
the  degree  to  which  one  is  able  to  profit  by  social  contacts  and 
the  breadth  and  variety  of  the  individual’s  stored-up  impres- 
sions, these  extraneous  or  collateral  qualities,  which  every  test 
also  more  or  less  successfully  measures  in  addition  to  the  partic- 
ular quality  or  mental  dimension  under  direct  examination, 
furnish  useful  data  in  arriving  at  a conclusion  which  is,  after  all, 
the  main  purpose  sought,  as  to  the  individual’s  actual  abilities 
and  potential  powers. 

In  order,  however,  to  get  at  a really  useful  record  of  the  mental 
capacity  of  an  individual,  we  must  apply  a variety  of  tests  and 
out  of  the  sum  total  of  the  results  of  these  tests  we  are  able  much 
more  accurately  to  gauge  the  degree  of  possession  of  the  qualities 
for  which  we  are  seeking  than  could  possibly  be  done  by  any 
single  test,  no  matter  how  skilfully  constructed.  Here  again 
science  confronts  the  popular  human  demand  for  a panacea. 
But  just  as  in  medicine  only  the  quack  offers  a cure-all,  so,  in 
other  fields,  science  has  no  single  standard  to  offer  by  which  all 


30 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


results  in  a given  field  may  be  accomplished,  and  psychology 
cannot  now  or  at  any  time  in  the  future  pretend  that  by  a single 
method  or  a single  measurement  mental  capacity  can  be  gauged. 

To  come  back  to  an  analogy  used  in  a previous  chapter,  you 
cannot  measure  all  the  qualities  of  an  automobile  with  a ten-foot 
rod.  Your  ten-foot  rod  will  tell  you  whether  the  wheel  base  is 
120  inches  or  more  or  less  than  that.  It  will  not  tell  you  how 
much  above  or  below  120  inches.  If  it  be  necessary  for  you  to 
know  that,  you  must  provide  yourself  with  a longer  or  more 
minutely  graded  measuring  implement;  but  because  the  ten- 
foot  rod  does  not  at  a glance  disclose  to  you  all  that  you  wish  to 
know  about  a particular  automobile,  you  do  not,  therefore,  either 
discredit  the  ten-foot  rod  as  a measuring  implement  or  declare 
that  the  automobile  cannot  be  measured  except  by  the  unaided 
human  eye. 

The  limitations  of  the  ten-foot  rod  are  perfectly  obvious  to 
you;  and  so,  too,  are  the  complexities  of  the  automobile,  which 
require  a variety  of  instruments  and  tests  for  their  proper  gaug- 
ing and  measurement.  So  before  you  undertake  to  form  a 
judgment  as  to  the  ability  of  a particular  automobile,  you  either 
measure  it  yourself  or,  as  a matter  of  practice,  you  have  it  meas- 
ured for  you  by  a competent  engineer.  You  do  not  necessarily 
inquire,  if  you  have  confidence  in  the  engineer,  as  to  precisely 
what  dimensions  and  what  materials  he  found  in  every  part  of 
the  car,  but  you  respect  his  conclusions,  knowing  that  they  are 
based  upon  the  most  precise  and  accurate  measurements  pos- 
sible with  the  aid  of  such  instruments  as  science  has  been  able  to 
devise,  and  you  are  satisfied  that  the  conclusions  form  an  ac- 
curate estimate  of  the  machine’s  qualities. 

The  engineer  who  sets  out  to  measure  an  automobile  in  all  of 
its  capacities  and  powers  must  provide  himself  with  tachometers 
for  measuring  the  engine’s  revolutions,  dynamometers  for  testing 
its  tractive  force,  micrometer  calipers  for  gauging  the  bore  and 
the  stroke,  thermometers  for  measuring  its  temperature,  galva- 
nometers for  testing  its  magneto  and  battery,  and  hundreds  of 


WHAT  THESE  TESTS  MEASURE 


31 


other  instruments,  the  readings  of  which  must  be  assembled 
and  studied  by  means  of  complex,  comparative  mathematical 
formulas  before  he  can  tell  you  what  a particular  automobile  will 
do. 

The  human  mind,  it  must  be  apparent  to  every  reader,  is  not 
less  complex  than  the  automobile.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  in- 
finitely more  complex  and  subject  to  an  infinitely  wider  range 
of  variations.  As  has  been  pointed  out  above,  it  is  not  neces- 
sary for  practical,  every-day  purposes  to  measure  every  possible 
variation  and  every  one  of  the  infinite  number  of  dimensions  of 
any  human  mind  in  order  to  ascertain  the  individual’s  ability 
to  succeed  in  the  ordinary  pursuits  of  life.  But  even  in  our 
ordinary,  every-day  affairs  and  contacts,  in  the  simplest  forms 
of  employment,  there  are  called  into  play  such  a number  of 
different  sorts  of  ability  and  mental  power  that  there  must  be 
applied,  if  one  is  really  to  know  of  what  a particular  individual 
is  capable,  a large  variety  of  tests  of  different  kinds  for  measuring 
different  powers.  And  for  the  mental  measurement  of  individ- 
uals whose  work  calls  for  the  highest  development  and  capacity, 
a still  larger  variety  of  tests  must  be  applied. 

It  is  not  always  possible — in  fact,  it  is  extremely  difficult — to 
devise  tests  that  do  not  to  some  degree  measure  the  mental 
content  resulting  from  education  and  experience,  in  the  effort  to 
measure  the  mental  capacity  which  limits  and  controls  one’s 
education  and  experience.  The  qualities  that  determine  capa- 
city are  inherent  in  the  individual.  One  is  born  with  them  or  is 
not  born  with  them.  In  their  whole  infinite  variety  they  are  not 
all  possessed  by  any  one  individual,  and  the  particular  grouping 
of  mental  qualities  which  any  one  person  inherits  is  probably  not 
possessed  by  any  other  person  living  or  who  has  ever  lived.  Yet 
while  individuals  differ  so  completely  that  it  can  truthfully  be 
said  that  Nature  never  cast  two  persons  in  the  same  mold,  yet 
there  are  qualities  possessed  by  all  intelligent  persons,  the  sim- 
pler and  more  elemental  expressions  of  which  are  absolutely 
essential  to  intelligent  life  and  existence,  and  these  can  be  so 


32 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


grouped,  classified,  measured,  and  standardized  as  to  provide 
a scale  whereby  the  inherent  capacity  with  respect  to  these 
important  and  essential  qualities  may  be  determined  equally 
in  the  case  of  the  totally  illiterate,  untrained  labourer  or  artisan 
and  the  highly  trained,  educated  product  of  a university  post- 
graduate course. 

As  a matter  of  practical,  every-day  common  sense,  one  does 
not  expect  to  find,  nor  does  one  find,  except  as  a rare  exception,  an 
individual  engaged  in  menial  or  purely  physical  labour  who  is 
endowed  with  inherent  mental  capacity  comparable  to  that 
of  the  university  graduate.  A person  possessing  such  capaci- 
ties moves  out  from  the  ranks  of  labour  in  spite  of  educational 
handicaps;  the  history  of  American  business  and  industry  is  full 
of  the  romantic  stories  of  men  who  have  achieved  success  as 
organizers  and  administrators,  though  in  many  cases  absolutely 
illiterate.  Properly  applied  psychological  tests  would  pass  over 
all  or  nearly  all  of  the  acquired  knowledge  of  such  individuals 
about  their  particular  business  and  related  matters,  and  neglect 
also,  the  bulk,  at  least,  of  the  acquired  knowledge  of  the  univer- 
sity man,  and  so  compare  merely  what  might  be  called  two  naked 
brains,  the  native  intelligence  of  each  being  the  only  thing  to  be 
measured.  As  has  been  pointed  out,  it  is  difficult  or  almost 
impossible  to  devise  tests  that  entirely  strip  the  layers  of  ac- 
quired knowledge  from  the  raw  mental  powers  beneath  them, 
but  for  the  practical  purposes  of  the  application  of  psychology 
and  psychological  tests  in  the  affairs  of  every-day  life,  this  can 
be  done  within  a reasonable  percentage  of  error. 


CHAPTER  IV 

STANDARDS  FOR  MENTAL  TESTS 


To  TEST  or  measure  mental  capacity  or  any  of  the  dimensions 
and  powers  of  the  human  mind,  two  preliminary  steps  are  nec- 
essary. 

First,  it  must  be  determined  what  particular  powers  or  quali- 
ties of  the  mind  it  is  desired  to  measure. 

Second,  there  must  be  prepared  a standard  or  scale  that  is, 
primarily  at  least,  adapted  to  the  measurement  of  those  partic- 
ular qualities. 

While  it  is,  in  practice,  as  has  been  heretofore  pointed  out, 
impossible  entirely  to  segregate  a particular  mental  quality  or 
power  from  all  the  other  abilities  and  capacities  possessed  by  a 
particular  individual,  it  is  possible  to  select  certain  characteris- 
tics or  abilities  which,  by  the  degree  of  their  presence  or  ab- 
sence, give  a fair  index  of  certain  mental  dimensions  or  capaci- 
ties, and  to  devise  tests  that,  when  taken  together,  will  measure 
these  “key-abilities”  and  so  reflect  the  general  ability  and  ca- 
pacity of  the  subject.  The  standards  by  which  the  results  of 
such  tests  are  gauged  must  necessarily,  therefore,  be  such  as  have 
been  shown,  by  experiment  and  experience,  to  give  the  closest 
possible  measurement  of  the  individual’s  ability  in  these  partic- 
ular directions,  by  enabling  the  examiner  to  compare  each  sub- 
ject’s performance  under  the  test,  or  series  of  tests,  with  the  rec- 
ords made  under  precisely  similar  tests  by  individuals  and 
groups  of  known  ability. 

Mental  capacity  tests  may  be  devised  that  will  measure  cer- 
tain mental  qualities  of  an  infant  who  has  not  yet  learned  to 
talk,  and  by  thus  providing  a comparison  between  this  partic- 


34 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


ular  child’s  capacities  and  the  average  of  children  of  the  same 
age,  enable  parents  and  physicians  to  determine  in  what  direc- 
tion efforts  looking  toward  its  mental  development  may  most 
helpfully  be  undertaken.  Thus  we  may  test  the  infant’s  power 
of  observation  and  perception  of  shapes,  of  colours,  of  sounds 
and  familiar  objects  before  it  is  able  to  talk,  measuring  these  by 
standards  derived  from  experience  with  similar  tests  applied 
to  a large  number  of  healthy,  normal  infants,  and  by  this  means 
determining  whether  the  subject  is  above  or  below  the  normal 
average  for  its  age  and  if  so  in  what  respects. 

At  the  other  end  of  the  scale  of  mental  development,  let  us 
assume,  is  the  possessor  of  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Philosophy 
from  any  of  the  great  universities,  since  this  is  the  principal  de- 
gree the  possession  of  which  tends  to  show  the  possession  of  un- 
usual mental  powers,  if  not  necessarily  of  wisdom.  By  apply- 
ing to  a large  number  of  Ph.D.’s  tests  which  are  designed  to 
require  for  their  successful  performance  the  utmost  use  of  all 
their  inherent  mental  abilities,  and  arriving  at  an  average  of 
performance  by  tabulating  and  comparing  the  degrees  or  per- 
centages of  perfection  achieved  by  all  of  the  individuals  so 
tested,  a standard  is  set  up  by  which  to  measure  the  mental 
capacity  of  any  individual  or  group  of  individuals  of  superior^ 
or  presumably  superior,  intelligence.  By  such  a standard  there 
may  be  measured  also  the  mental  capacity  of  men  and  women 
who  have  never  seen  the  inside  of  a university,  but  whose  educa- 
tion has  been  acquired  in  the  course  of  their  business  and  pro- 
fessional activities.  This  is  so  because  what  is  measured  is  not 
acquired  knowledge,  hut  the  ability  to  acquire  knowledge,  which  is 
quite  a different  thing. 

The  simplest  way  to  measure  the  capacity  of  a circular  tank 
is  to  pump  it  full  of  water  and  then  measure  the  water  as  it  is 
drawn  off.  But  it  would  be  absurd  to  contend  that  because 
there  has  never  been  any  water  pumped  into  the  tank  it  is  there- 
fore impossible  to  determine  how  much  water  it  would  hold. 

.^-And^wdiaTthe  Doctor  of  Philosophy  has  got  out  of  his  univer- 


STANDARDS  FOR  MENTAL  TESTS 


35 


sity  course  is  comparable  to  the  water  in  the  tank.  The  uni- 
versity may  have  assisted,  and  if  its  faculty  were  competent 
undoubtedly  did  assist  him,  in  discovering  earlier  in  life  than  he 
otherwise  would  have  discovered  the  actual  capacity  of  his 
mental  tank.  But  there  are  probably  as  many  men  of  equal 
mental  capacity  whose  mental  tanks  have  never  been  filled  with 
the  particular  kind  of  intellectual  fluid  that  the  Ph.  D.  carries 
about  with  him,  whose  capacity  there  is  no  other  means  of  meas- 
uring than  by  the  application  of  mental  tests  based  upon  the 
known  capacities  of  Doctors  of  Philosophy. 

The  process  of  measuring  the  human  mind  is,  indeed,  precisely 
like  the  process  of  measuring  an  automobile  by  an  engineer,  as 
was  pointed  out  in  the  preceding  chapter.  Back  of  the  tests 
that  are  applied  to  the  automobile  to  determine  its  abilities  and 
capacities  there  must  lie  a mass  of  very  definite,  exact  knowledge 
of  all  automobiles  or  all  types  of  automobiles  already  in  existence 
and  whose  capacities  and  limitations  are  already  definitely 
known.  It  is  of  no  service  to  ascertain  that  the  engine  cylinders 
are  of  four-inch  bore  and  that  the  piston  has  a six-inch  stroke, 
unless  it  is  well  known  what  the  possession  of  a given  number  of 
cylinders  of  that  particular  bore  and  stroke  signifies  as  to  the 
ability  or  capacity  of  an  automobile  engine.  That  knowledge 
has  been  acquired  by  the  observation  and  measurement  over  a 
period  of  years  of  the  performance  of  many  automobiles  of  vary- 
ing cylinder  sizes  and  number  of  cylinders,  and  the  comparison 
of  each  size  and  type  with  all  the  others. 

Similarly,  it  is  of  no  service  to  apply  a test  of  any  kind  to  a 
human  being  unless  we  have,  in  the  first  place,  determined  just 
what  particular  abilities  or  capacities  we  want  to  measure,  and, 
in  the  second  place,  possessed  ourselves  of  knowledge  as  to  the 
significance  of  these  capacities,  after  they  have  been  measured. 

Here,  again,  the  reader  should  keep  constantly  in  mind  the 
warnings  set  forth  in  the  preceding  chapter  and  try  to  think  of 
mental  abilities  and  qualities  not  as  detached,  separate,  sharply 
defined  parts  of  a mental  whole  (as  the  engine,  transmission  and 


36 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


bearings  of  the  wheels  of  an  automobile  are  detachable,  separate 
entities)  but  rather  as  qualities  so  intermingled  and  connected 
by  an  infinite  number  of  attachments  to  all  the  other  mental 
qualities  and  abilities  that  no  one  particular  ability  can  be 
measured  separately  or  even  positively  delimited  by  any  sort  of 
test.  Even  if  this  could  be  done  in  the  case  of  one  individual, 
the  process  would  have  to  be  repeated  in  each  separate,  individ- 
ual case,  as  in  no  two  human  beings  is  there  found  exactly  the 
same  combination  and  correlation  of  the  manifold  manifestations 
of  conscious  sensation  and  thought  that  together  make  up  the 
human  intelligence. 

But  having  determined  just  what  qualities  and  abilities  it  is 
desired  to  measure,  we  must  set  up  a standard  of  measurement 
by  which  to  compare  the  indicated  ability  of  each  individual 
examined,  or  we  shall  have  nothing  as  a result  of  our  test  but  a 
mass  of  information,  of  the  significance  of  which  we  cannot 
possibly  be  aware.  This  standard,  for  some  purposes,  may  be 
merely  a composite  record  of  the  performances  of  a particular 
group  or  class  examined  simultaneously  and  under  the  same  con- 
ditions. That  is  to  say,  if  all  that  is  required  is  to  determine 
which  individual  of  a group  has  the  greatest  ability  in  certain 
directions  (and  by  inference  the  greatest  capacity  for  further 
development  along  similar  lines)  then  all  that  is  necessary  is 
to  apply  a test  that  will  give  a comparative  measurement  of  the 
intelligence  of  this  particular  group.  But  if  the  purpose  is  to 
ascertain  how  a particular  individual,  or  the  average  of  a group 
of  individuals,  compares  in  particular  kinds  of  capacity  with 
the  average  or  the  most  highly  developed  persons  of  the  same 
status,  education,  occupation,  or  age,  then  the  standard  by  which 
the  subject  must  be  measured  must  be  one  derived  from  the 
observation  and  measurement  of  the  mental  capacities  of  as 
large  a number  as  possible  of  individuals  engaged  in  all  sorts 
of  occupations  and  of  all  degrees  and  grades  of  educational  at- 
tainment. And  even  where  the  purpose  is  merely  to  determine 
the  relative  qualifications  and  capacities  of  a particular  limited 


STANDARDS  FOR  MENTAL  TESTS 


37 


group,  it  is  as  a matter  of  practice  desirable,  it  might  almost  be 
said  necessary,  to  compare  the  performance  of  each  individual 
of  the  group  with  a standard  previously  fixed  and  determined  as 
a result  of  a much  broader  series  of  observations  and  experi- 
ments than  can  be  made  within  the  limits  of  any  group  to  which 
it  is  practicable  to  apply  any  given  set  of  tests  as  a whole. 

This  is  true  for  two  reasons.  First,  without  such  an  outside 
standard  of  comparison  all  that  is  determined  by  the  application 
of  even  the  most  carefully  devised  tests  to  any  group  is  that  cer- 
tain individuals  are  more  and  certain  others  are  less  able  in 
particular  ways  than  the  average  of  the  group.  The  net  result 
is  of  service,  but  of  nowhere  near  the  service  of  a record  of  the 
same  individuals’  performances  graded  in  accordance  with  their 
approach  to  conformity  with  a universal  standard.  For  exam- 
ple, one  might  take  two,  three,  or  a dozen  automobiles  on  a speed- 
way and  quite  readily  determine  which  was  the  fastest  and  which 
the  slowest,  but  unless  one  were  possessed  of  certain  standards 
of  measurements  that  in  themselves  have  no  relation  whatever  to 
automobiles,  the  net  result  would  be  of  little  consequence  and 
of  no  value  whatever  in  comparing  any  one  of  these  cars  with 
another  automobile  that  had  not  taken  part  in  the  particular 
test.  In  this  case,  two  standards  are  requisite,  namely,  distance 
and  time.  The  length  of  the  course  must  be  definitely  ascer- 
tained. The  time  required  for  each  automobile  under  test  to 
cover  the  course  must  be  accurately  recorded. 

Now  we  have  a record  of  performance  that  compares  at  all 
times  with  universal  standards.  If  we  add  another  automobile 
to  the  group  we  do  not  need  again  to  run  all  the  cars,  including 
the  new  one,  along  the  speedway  to  determine  where  the  added 
member  of  the  group  ranks  with  reference  to  the  others;  we  can 
apply  to  it  alone  a test  based  upon  the  universal  standards  of 
time  and  distance  with  which  we  have  already  compared  the 
others,  and  the  new  one  falls  instantly  into  its  proper  rank  among 
its  fellows.  So,  too,  we  are  enabled  by  this  means  to  compare 
any  member  of  the  group  with  any  automobile  anywhere  in  the 


38 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


world,  the  performance  of  which  has  been  gauged  by  these  same 
universal  standards  of  time  and  space,  and  we  are  thus  able  to 
tell,  not  only  how  each  particular  car  ranks  with  reference  to 
the  limited  group  of  cars,  but  how  it  ranks  with  reference  to  all 
cars  of  all  kinds  or  of  a particular  type  so  far  as  these  have  been 
tested  by  the  universal  standard. 

So  in  testing  groups  of  individuals  as  to  their  intelligence  or 
mental  capacity,  the  use  of  universal  standards  of  comparison 
makes  the  relative  grading  of  the  members  of  the  group  with 
reference  to  each  other  just  as  easy  and  simple  as  though  the  only 
standard  were  that  of  the  group’s  collective  performance,  and  at 
the  same  time  furnishes  a record  of  the  performance  of  each 
individual  member  of  the  group  by  which  he  or  she  may  be 
readily  compared  with  the  members  of  any  new  group  to  which 
he  or  she  may  be  at  some  subsequent  time  attached,  and  at  all 
times  with  the  general  run  of  men  or  women  of  the  same  or  dif- 
fering social,  economic,  vocational,  or  educational  status. 

It  is  in  the  determination  of  these  universal  standards  and  the 
preparation  of  tests,  the  results  of  which  indicate  the  individ- 
ual’s relative  approximation  to  these  standards,  that  the  scienti- 
fic training  of  the  psychologist  comes  principally  into  play. 
Rough  standards  for  testing  the  more  obvious  mental  capacities 
might  be  set  up  by  any  intelligent  person  who  would  take  the 
pains  to  collect  the  essential  data.  These  standards  would  not, 
however,  be  universal  unless  they  were  based  upon  research  and 
experimentation  covering  as  broad  a field  as  that  in  which  the 
psychologists  have  been  working  for  many  years.  Nor  would 
they,  except  by  accident,  be  as  simple  and  as  accurate  as  the 
universal  standards  compiled  by  scientifically  trained  persons. 
For  just  as  the  average  untrained  individual  cannot  form  an 
accurate  or  even  an  approximately  accurate  estimate  of  another 
person’s  character  and  abilities  by  observation  alone,  so  persons 
untrained  in  the  study  of  the  human  mind  are  prone  to  be 
misled  by  the  obvious  and  to  lay  undue  emphasis  upon  external 
indications  which  do  not,  as  a matter  of  scientific  fact,  actually 


STANDARDS  FOR  MENTAL  TESTS 


39 


signify  what  they  are  popularly  believed  to  indicate.  The 
scientific  psychologist’s  training  enables  him  to  eliminate  to  a 
large  extent  the  non-essentials  and  to  include,  in  the  establish- 
ment of  standards  of  mental  measurement  and  the  preparation 
of  tests  or  methods  of  applying  these  standards,  many  facts 
which,  to  the  untrained  mind,  do  not  at  once  present  themselves 
as  important  elements. 

Even  in  the  simplest  of  mechanical  operations  every  workman 
knows  that  it  is  not  safe  to  trust  to  the  accuracy  of  homemade 
measuring  implements.  In  the  absence  of  a try-square  made  by 
a responsible  manufacturer  in  conformity  with  the  universally 
standard  right  angle,  even  the  most  expert  carpenter  will  refuse 
to  run  the  risk  of  error  until  he  has  either  obtained  a new  stand- 
ard from  the  hardware  store  or  by  the  application  of  geometrical 
science  and  the  exercise  of  careful  and  painstaking  technical 
skill  constructed  for  himself  a new  try-square  that  conforms, 
without  the  variation  of  a hair’s-breadth,  to  the  universal  stand- 
ard to  which  he  must  work.  Still  less  would  a good  machinist 
undertake  to  gauge  the  close  tolerances  of  an  automobile  bearing 
with  a homemade  micrometer.  He  knows  it  is  not  sufficient 
merely  to  have  a perfect  fit  of  this  particular  bearing,  which 
might  be  worked  out  by  rule  of  thumb,  but  that  it  is  essential 
that  the  dimensions  of  the  bearing,  down  to  within  a thousandth 
of  an  inch,  must  conform  to  the  universal  standards  for  auto- 
mobile bearings,  and  that  the  best  implement  with  which  to  test 
the  degree  of  conformity  to  the  universal  standard  is  the  stand- 
ardized micrometer,  prepared  by  specialized  methods  and  pro- 
duced only  by  the  exercise  of  highly  trained  technical  skill. 
Once  given  such  implements  of  precision,  any  good  workman 
can  readily  apply  all  the  scientific  intelligence  that  went  into  the 
devising  of  the  standards  and  the  preparation  of  the  methods  of 
applying  them. 

So,  once  there  are  at  hand  scientifically  devised  standards 
with  which  the  mental  qualities  of  any  individual  may  be 
gauged  and  compared,  and  tests  have  been  prepared  for  the 


40 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


scientific  measurement  of  these  qualities  with  reference  to  the 
established  standards,  the  application  of  these  tests  to  individ- 
uals may  be  made  by  anybody  sufficiently  intelligent  to  grasp 
their  purport  and  follow  directions  exactly.  It  is  not  necessary, 
in  other  words,  even  for  the  testing  of  the  most  complex  and 
highly  developed  mental  powers,  that  the  actual  application  of 
the  test  be  made  by  the  scientific  psychologist.  It  is  possible, 
and  it  has  been  the  purpose  in  the  preparation  of  the  tests  which 
are  presented  in  this  book,  to  devise  mental  tests  which,  if 
applied  precisely  as  indicated  in  the  instructions  accompanying 
them,  will  yield  the  same  results  in  the  hands  of  the  wholly  un- 
trained examiner  as  though  the  actual  administration  of  the 
tests  had  been  made  by  the  scientist  who  devised  them. 

It  must  not  be  thought  that  the  result  of  any  test  is  always 
100  per  cent,  accurate.  Even  good  workmen  sometimes 
make  errors  in  the  use  of  the  most  precise  scientific  in- 
struments. Even  though  constructed  with  the  most  painstaking 
care,  according  to  the  truest  scientific  formulas  and  by  men  of 
the  highest  technical  training  and  skill,  the  mechanical  instru- 
ments of  precision  are  occasionally  found  to  be  inaccurate. 
If  this  is  the  case  with  material  implements  and  dimensions  which 
are  finite,  concrete,  and  tangible,  how  much  greater  is  the  liabil- 
ity to  error  in  dealing  with  the  intangible,  infinite,  and  more 
or  less  abstract  qualities  of  the  human  mind.  The  scientific 
psychologist  is,  after  all,  merely  another  human  being,  and  as 
such  equally  liable  with  all  other  human  beings  to  human  error. 
Of  no  man  or  woman  can  it  be  said  that  he  or  she  is  infallible, 
and  as  every  one  who  applies  a psychological  test  is  human,  and 
so  liable  to  error  either  in  its  application  or  the  reading  of  its 
result,  conclusions  drawn  from  the  results  of  any  particular  test 
should  be  accepted  as  accurate  only  when  they  have  been 
checked  by  the  results  of  other  tests  applied  to  the  same  subject, 
and  substantial  conformity  of  the  results  of  one  to  those  of  the 
others  has  been  obtained.  For  this  reason,  among  others,  no 
single  test  can  be  expected  to  yield  definite  and  complete  inf  or- 


STANDARDS  FOR  MENTAL  TESTS 


41 


mation  as  to  any  particular  individual’s  mental  capacity  or 
ability,  whether  gauged  by  the  universal  standard  or  by  group 
comparison.  It  has,  therefore,  been  necessary  to  establish,  as 
preliminary  to  the  preparation  of  the  Mentimeter  tests,  a variety 
of  standards,  and  to  prepare  a considerable  number  of  tests 
under  each  of  these  standards,  all  or  most  of  which  must  be  used 
in  each  instance  if  anything  approaching  scientific  accuracy  is 
to  be  reflected  in  the  resulting  scores. 

As  has  previously  been  pointed  out,  however,  the  scientific 
method  is  incomparably  freer  from  the  liability  to  error  than 
any  method  of  determining  human  ability  and  capacity  that 
depends  upon  unaided  personal  observation.  How  completely 
this  has  been  demonstrated  in  practice  in  a wide  range  of  fields 
is  set  forth  in  subsequent  chapters.  To  yield  results  of  maxi- 
mum accuracy,  however,  scientific  mental  tests  must  be  used 
only  with  reference  to  the  standards  on  which  they  are  based. 

Lest  it  has  not  been  made  clear  already  to  the  reader  how  the 
method  of  establishing  mental  standards  of  comparison  oper- 
ates, let  us  again  briefly  try  to  point  out  just  what  is  meant  by  a 
universal  standard  of  mental  capacity. 

It  is  a comparatively  simple  matter,  involving  merely  a con- 
siderable amount  of  painstaking  search  and  the  expenditure  of 
a good  deal  of  time  to  find,  let  us  say,  a thousand  engineers,  each 
of  whom  has  demonstrated  in  the  course  of  his  professional  prac- 
tice that  he  possesses  unusual  ability  to  project  and  design 
bridges  and  viaducts.  Let  us  suppose  that  we  wish  to  take  the 
average  capacity  of  these  thousand  engineers  as  the  standard 
by  which  to  measure  every  budding  engineer  in  the  technical 
schools  with  reference  to  the  capacity  of  each  to  become  a 
planner  and  designer  of  bridges  and  viaducts. 

The  scientific  psychologist  must  first  familiarize  himself  with 
the  essentials  of  that  combination  of  artistic,  technical,  and 
mathematical  skill  which  makes  a great  engineer.  This  is  not 
a simple  or  easy  task  to  begin  with,  and  to  accomplish  it  calls 
for  the  exercise  of  highly  trained  mental  powers  on  the  part  of  the 


42 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


investigator  as  well  as  a thorough  understanding  of  the  opera- 
tion of  the  various  processes  of  the  human  mind.  Then  there 
must  be  devised  methods  by  which,  as  simply  and  yet  as  pre- 
cisely as  possible,  each  of  these  thousand  engineers  of  known 
capacity  may  be  tested  as  to  the  degree  in  which  he  possesses 
the  various  abilities,  the  sum  total  of  which  is  the  measure  of  his 
capacity  as  an  engineer.  It  may  be  necessary  to  make  these 
tests  over  a period  of  years,  and  the  tests  themselves  may  and 
probably  will  require  frequent  revision  and  amendment  as  it  is 
found  in  the  course  of  their  application  that  some  of  them  are 
unnecessary  and  others  inadequate.  If  it  is  found  that  any  of 
the  tests  so  applied  is  readily  fulfilled  by  every  subject  examined, 
the  effort  is  made  to  increase  the  diflSculty  of  the  test,  until  it 
has  reached  a stage  where  the  perfect  performance  of  all  its 
requirements  is  barely  within  the  reach  of  the  ablest  and  most 
competent  of  all  the  engineers  under  examination.  Indeed, 
some  of  the  tests  may  be  so  difficult  that  none  of  those  examined 
may  conform  precisely  to  the  set  requirements.  In  respect  of 
some  classes  of  tests  this  is,  in  fact,  desirable,  as  what  is  being 
sought  is  an  average  of  group  capacity,  and  if  any  considerable 
percentage  exhibit  a capacity  greater  than  can  be  measured  by 
the  tests  set  there  arises  an  element  of  doubt  as  to  the  accuracy 
of  the  average  combined  score,  since  some  of  those  contributing 
to  it  have  obviously  greater  mental  ability  than  can  be  measured 
by  the  particular  scale  used. 

Once,  however,  tests  have  been  applied  to  the  supposititious 
thousand  expert  engineers,  and  the  performance  of  each  of 
them  in  each  test  has  been  given  its  proper  place  in  the  scale, 
and  an  average  struck,  there  has  come  into  existence  a prelimi- 
nary standard;  which,  however,  before  being  offered  for  general 
use  in  the  testing  of  engineering  students  and  others,  must 
first  be  tried  out  by  experimental  application  on  as  many  in- 
dividuals and  groups  as  are  available,  and  their  performance 
with  reference  to  the  standard  checked  up  by  all  other  means 
available.  It  may  be,  and  quite  frequently  is,  the  case  that  this 


STANDARDS  FOR  MENTAL  TESTS 


43 


preliminary  try-out  of  a standard  results  in  the  elimination  of 
some  of  its  elements,  the  modification  of  others,  and  the  neces- 
sary preparation  of  a new  series  of  tests  based  upon  the  altered 
standards.  But  in  this  fashion,  in  the  course  of  time  and  as  the 
result  of  the  combined  effort  of  many  trained  minds,  there  is  at 
last  set  up  a standard  which  is  substantially  universal  in  its 
application,  and  by  which  it  may  readily  be  determined  whether 
or  not  any  particular  individual  possesses  the  mental  capacity 
and  particular  abilities  that  have  been  found  to  be  necessary  if 
he  is  to  develop  into  a competent  engineer. 

As  psychological  tests  are  more  and  more  widely  applied 
and  there  is  consequently  accumulated  an  increasing  volume 
of  data  which  can  be  collected,  classified,  and  compared,  stand- 
ards become  either  more  firmly  established  as  a result  of  experi- 
ence or  subject  to  modification  in  the  light  of  the  wider  range  of 
knowledge.  In  science  nothing  is  final.  What  psychology 
offers  to-day  is  a method  of  mental  tests,  the  soundness  of  which 
in  principle  is  unchallenged,  though  the  application  in  detail 
of  these  principles  is  subject  to  constant  improvement  and  re- 
finement. 


CHAPTER  V 

DIFFERENT  TYPES  OF  MENTAL  TESTS 


The  character  of  any  mental  test  or  series  of  tests  is  deter- 
mined primarily,  of  course,  by  the  purpose  for  which  the  test 
is  applied,  and,  secondarily,  by  the  known  or  obvious  mental 
limitations  of  the  individual  under  examination. 

Mental  tests  thus  classify  themselves,  in  the  first  instance, 
into  as  many  different  classes  as  there  are  specific  purposes  to  be 
served  by  their  use,  particular  kinds  or  classes  of  mental  ability 
and  capacity  to  be  ascertained,  or  degrees  of  previously  known 
mental  limitations.  Each  one  of  these  classifications  cuts  across 
all  other  classifications  at  some  point,  so  that  it  is,  as  a matter  of 
practice,  impossible  to  tabulate  or  catalogue  mental  tests  in 
such  a way  as  to  separate  them  into  sharply  defined  or  perma- 
nently detached  groups  or  classes. 

Broadly,  all  mental  tests  subdivide  at  first  into  tests  devised 
for  use  with  persons  of  normal  mental  capacity  and  develop- 
ment and  tests  for  intelligences  that  are  not  fully  developed. 
This  is,  perhaps,  the  chief  permanent  and  fixed  classification 
of  intelligence  tests  that  can  be  made,  for  in  a group  of  tests  for 
the  sub-normal  mind  would  be  included  the  entire  series  of 
tests  adapted  for  the  examination  of  the  mental  powers  of  chil- 
dren of  all  ages,  from  earliest  infancy  to  maturity.  In  fact,  the 
standard  method  of  rating  or  grading  adults  of  undeveloped  or 
sub-normal  intelligence  is  to  classify  them  by  their  mental  age 
as  compared  with  the  performance  of  normal  children  of  the 
^same  age. 

Thus,  a man  or  woman  of  twenty-five  who  is  able  to  make  a 
high  score  in  tests  which  are  passed  successfully  by  normal  chil- 
44 


DIFFERENT  TYPES  OF  MENTAL  TESTS  45 


dren  of  eight,  but  who  fails  when  subjected  to  tests  which  a nor- 
mal child  of  ten  should  pass  easily,  is  rated  approximately  as 
of  mental  age  nine. 

Cutting  across  this  classification  is  the  arbitrary  classification 
of  tests  adopted  in  the  psychological  work  of  the  United  States 
Army,  in  which  every  officer  and  enlisted  man  is  classified  as 
to  his  relative  intelligence  by  means  of  scientific  mental  tests. 
The  Army  tests  are  of  three  principal  kinds.  There  is  a series 
of  tests,  known  as  the  Alpha,  designed  to  measure  the  intelli- 
gence of  individuals  who  can  read  and  write  the  English  language. 
For  those  who  are  either  illiterate  or  whose  ability  to  read 
or  write  is  confined  to  some  language  other  than  English,  there 
is  the  Beta  series  of  tests.  These  may  register  as  high  a degree 
of  intelligence  as  the  Alpha  tests;  the  results  are  merely  not  ex- 
pressed in  terms  of  the  English  language.  The  third  classifica- 
tion in  the  Army  is  the  individual  tests,  applied  to  those  who  fail 
to  make  a satisfactory  score  under  either  the  Alpha  or  the  Beta 
tests.  This  is,  in  its  Army  application,  a system  of  tests  for 
the  sub-normal  adult  intelligence.  Thus  the  broad  classifica- 
tion first  set  forth  above,  in  substance  actually  holds  in  the  class- 
ification of  the  Army  tests. 

Under  each  of  these  two  broad  classifications,  and  particu- 
larly under  the  first  (since  in  general,  every-day  practice  it  is  of 
little  service  to  undertake  to  analyze  minutely  the  capacities 
and  limitations  of  the  sub-normal  mind  except  in  the  application 
of  these  tests  to  growing  children)  there  are  many  possible  sub- 
divisions of  mental  tests,  based  upon  the  particular  mental 
qualities  which  it  is  desired  to  measure. 

First  and  most  useful  generally  are  general,  intelligence  tests, 
which  must  usually  be  subdivided  into  a series  of  related  tests. 
Then,  for  varying  purposes,  such  as  the  examination  of  candi- 
dates for  particular  classes  of  employment  requiring  special 
ability  or  capacity,  there  may  be  applied  speed  tests,  accuracy 
tests,  perception  tests,  coordination  tests,  memory  tests,  mathe- 
matical tests,  and  a wide  variety  of  others.  These  are  tests  which 


46 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


primarily  measure  the  subject’s  ability  to  perform  certain 
specific  acts  under  pre-determined  conditions,  the  determination 
of  capacity  in  excess  of  that  actually  demonstrated  under  test 
depending  upon  the  facility  and  accuracy  with  which  the  sub- 
ject responds  to  the  conditions  of  these  tests.  Of  course, 
every  scientific  mental  test  is  based  upon  the  performance  of 
certain  acts,  since  it  is  only  through  action  of  some  sort,  whether 
by  speech,  writing,  or  the  performance  of  a manual  operation, 
that  any  one  is  able  to  express  his  mental  ability  at  any 
time. 

But  while  it  is  relatively  a simple  matter  to  devise  tests  that 
satisfactorily  indicate  the  subject’s  possession  of  the  more 
obvious  mental  powers  indicated  by  such  tests  as  those  last 
listed  above,  there  is  another  class  of  mental  tests,  designed 
primarily  to  indicate  or  determine  the  possession  of  the  more 
abstract  qualities,  the  manifestation  of  which  through  the 
individual’s  simple  and  ordinary  actions  is  less  obvious  to  the 
untrained  observer.  This  is  the  class  of  tests  that  are  designed 
to  measure  the  degree  in  which  an  individual  possesses  such 
qualities  as  moral  sense,  form  perception,  the  power  to  reason 
from  cause  to  effect,  poetic  discrimination,  ability  to  under- 
stand complicated  instructions,  judgment,  sense  of  the  right 
relationship  of  things  and  ideas.  It  is  as  important,  if  one  is  to 
arrive  at  a true  measure  of  any  individual’s  mental  capacity, 
that  he  be  tested  as  to  his  possession  of  these  more  or  less 
abstract  qualities,  as  it  is  to  determine  his  possession  of  concrete 
abilities.  In  other  words,  the  normal  mind  of  an  intelligent 
adult  is  capable  of  dealing  intelligently  with  ideas  and  abstrac- 
tions. The  mentality  that  does  not  respond  with  a certain 
degree  of  readiness  to  ideal  conceptions  is  to  that  extent  sub- 
normal. The  only  possible  way  of  determining  the  possession 
of  unusual  or  super-normal  mental  capacity  is  by  means  of  the 
demonstration  that  its  possessor  grasps  readily  and  responds 
unhesitatingly  to  the  presentation  of  abstract  concepts. 

The  demonstration  itself  must,  of  course,  be  concrete.  Un- 


DIFFERENT  TYPES  OF  MENTAL  TESTS  47 


less  the  irulividual  possessing  extraordinary  mental  power  is 
able,  as  Kipling  phrases  it,  to 

. . . . press  the  logic  of  a fact 

To  its  ultimate  conclusion  in  unmitigated  act. 

it  is  of  no  social  consequence  whatever  that  he  may  possess  the 
mental  catholicity  of  a Shakespeare.  There  is  no  place  in  the 
modern  world  for  “mute,  inglorious  Miltons.” 

Indeed,  it  may  be  questioned  whether  a “mute,  inglorious 
Milton”  ever  existed.  The  world  is  full  of  people  who  regard 
themselves  as  “unappreciated.”  Everyone  is  familiar  with  the 
unfortunate  type  that  is  forever  seeking  sympathy,  constantly 
on  the  lookout  for  friendly  shoulders  on  which  to  sob  out  the 
sad  tale  of  the  world’s  harshness.  Under  psychological  tests 
the  preponderant  majority  of  this  type  of  individual  is  clearly 
demonstrated  to  be  mentally  deficient  or  sub-normal  in  some 
important  respect.  The  occasional  individual  of  normal  mental 
capacity  who  fails  to  demonstrate  that  capacity  by  the  per- 
formance of  specific  acts  is  merely  mentally  lazy.  In  other 
words,  it  may  be  set  forth  as  a sound  conclusion,  capable  of 
scientific  proof,  that  mental  capacity  in  the  healthy,  normal  in- 
dividual always  finds  means  of  expressing  itself  in  concrete  and 
socially  useful  ways,  whenever  its  possessor  actually  desires 
so  to  utilize  his  mental  powers. 

In  the  devising  and  preparation  of  tests  intended  to  measure 
the  less  obvious  of  the  mental  powers,  a considerable  degree  of 
ingenuity  and  the  greatest  amount  of  scientific  care  and  tech- 
nical skill  is  required.  To  the  person  untrained  in  psychology 
tests  designed  to  measure  the  possession  of  the  more  abstract 
powers  frequently  look  childish,  if  not  positively  silly.  Since 
it  is  essentials  in  the  case  of  Army  olBScers  and  men,  to  deter- 
mine as  nearly  as  it  may  be  done  by  simple  and  easily  applied 
tests  their  possession  of  a wide  variety  of  mental  qualities,  some 
of  the  elements  of  the  Army  Alpha  test  appear  to  the  concrete 


48 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


type  of  mind  to  be  futile,  if  not  absurd.  But  any  comprehen- 
sive system  of  mental  tests  must  include,  as  there  have  been 
included  in  the  Mentimeter  tests  presented  in  this  volume,  a 
considerable  proportion  which  do  not  on  their  face  appear  to 
be  directed  toward  the  disclosure  of  the  ordinary  and  useful 
mental  capacities.  It  is  of  vital  importance,  if  the  results  of  any 
given  series  are  to  give  an  adequate  picture  of  the  actual  abilities 
and  possibilities  of  the  subject  examined,  that  tests  of  this  char- 
acter be  included  among  them. 

Each  of  the  possible  classes  of  mental  tests  may  be  set  to  any 
one  of  an  infinite  number  of  standards.  General  intelligence 
tests,  for  example,  may  be  set  to  the  standard  of  the  average 
university  graduate,  so  that  the  result  when  applied  to  any 
individual  gives  a fair  estimate  of  the  subject’s  intelligence  as 
compared  with  that  of  those  who  have  demonstrated  the  pos- 
session of  mental  capacity  suflBcient  to  complete  satisfactor- 
ily a university  course.  Or  the  standard  may  be  that  of  the  aver- 
age lawyer,  the  average  high  school  pupil,  the  average  normal 
child  of  any  age  or  school  grade,  the  average  skilled  mechanic, 
the  average  labourer,  or  the  average  child  below  the  age  of 
speech.  And,  in  practice,  what  is  measured  is,  after  all,  general 
intelligence. 

Intelligence,  as  has  been  frequently  pointed  out,  while  it 
does  not  depend  upon  the  individual’s  ability  to  read  and  write, 
is  so  generally  accompanied  by  the  definite  and  intimate  knowl- 
edge of  the  symbols  which  we  call  letters,  words,  and  figures,  and 
of  their  meaning,  that  in  the  great  majority  of  cases  in  which  it  is 
desired  to  apply  the  test  of  intelligence  this  can  best  be  done,  or 
at  least  most  readily  be  done,  by  the  use  of  these  familiar  sym- 
bols; in  other  words,  by  tests  which  involve  only  the  acts  of 
reading  and  writing.  If  intelligence  may  be  defined  as  the 
intellectual  power  of  adaptation  to  environment,  a complete 
test  of  intelligence  determines  the  individual’s  ability  to  recog- 
nize the  situation  in  which  he  finds  himself,  perceive  his  own  re- 
lation to  the  situation,  analyze  it,  and  arrive  at  a conclusion  as 


DIFFERENT  TYPES  OF  MENTAL  TESTS  49 


to  what  he  should  do  next;  then  put  that  conclusion  into  effect 
by  means  of  a concrete  act.  Thus  one  may  learn  a great  deal 
about  an  individual’s  mental  capacity  by  observing  his  conduct 
when  he  misses  a train.  But  since  it  is  not  practicable  to  apply 
this  method  of  inquiry  in  every  case,  the  next  best  thing  is  to 
ask  the  question,  ‘‘What  would  you  do  if  you  missed  your 
train.^”  To  ask  this  question  of  a subject  is  next  best  to  seeing 
him  in  such  a situation.  He  must  exercise  his  sense  of  reality 
upon  it,  size  it  up  and  plan  his  reaction. 

Since  all  life  is  made  up  of  situations  in  which  the  individual 
places  or  finds  himself  and  from  which  he  must  extricate  him- 
self, and  since  the  broader  the  mental  capacity,  the  more  easily 
will  the  individual  meet  situations  as  they  arise,  the  ideal  mental 
test  is  one  that  presents  a situation  such  as  does  or  might  occur 
in  real  life,  and  requires  the  subject  to  extricate  himself,  or  at 
least  to  indicate  his  first  and  immediate  impulse  toward  action 
should  such  a situation  arise. 

Since  the  purpose  of  mental  tests  is  primarily  to  determine 
intelligence  rather  than  the  possession  of  physical  qualities, 
it  is  conceivable  that,  in  many  situations,  properly  devised  ques- 
tions may  give  a fairer  view  of  the  subject’s  mental  capacity 
than  would  observation  of  the  same  individual  in  action  in  a 
real  situation.  Thus  a person  of  the  highest  intelligence  and 
mental  capacity  might  be  deficient  in  physical  courage,  so  that 
if  we  could  observe  him  in  action  on  unexpectedly  meeting  a 
highway  robber  armed  with  a revolver  we  might  be  able  to 
deduce  from  his  actions  absolutely  no  criteria  upon  which  to 
form  a sound  judgment  as  to  his  mental  powers;  the  same  sub- 
ject, asked  the  question,  “What  w^ould  you  do  if  held  up  by  a 
footpad  might  exhibit  in  his  answer  unusual  ability  to  per- 
ceive quickly  and  reason  soundly  to  an  intelligent  conclusion — 
in  other  words,  to  demonstrate  his  possession  of  considerable 
mental  capacity. 

All  properly  constructed  mental  tests  are,  therefore,  in  effect, 
attempts  to  reproduce  or  project  upon  a laboratory  scale  situa- 


50 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


tions  such  as  the  subject  is  or  may  be  called  upon  to  meet  in 
actual  life.  It  is  obvious  that  ability  to  analyze  quickly  and 
propound  immediately  the  correct  course  of  action  when  the 
situation  presented  is  unusual  and  outside  the  range  of  every- 
day experience  indicates  clearly  the  possession  of  mental  ability 
greater  than  is  required  to  meet  only  ordinary  and  familiar 
situations.  The  theory  of  the  mental  test  as  a reproduction  in 
miniature  of  actual  situations  is  thus  commented  on  by  Daniel 
W.  La  Rue: 

“It  is  useless  to  ask  a savage  what  he  would  do  if  he  missed 
his  train,  or  an  old  bachelor  what  he  would  do  when  the  baby 
cried,  or  a green  soldier  how  he  will  behave  when  a shell  bursts 
near  him.  Further,  just  which  of  many  millions  of  situations 
are  so  important,  or  so  typical,  or  so  closely  correlated  with  a 
web  of  others,  similar  or  dissimilar,  that  they  should  be  admitted 
among  the  select  few  that  form  a test.^  The  answer  is  coming 
as  a slow  deposit  from  the  stream  of  experience  and  experi- 
ment.’’ 

Doctor  La  Rue,  pursuing  the  same  theme,  points  out  with 
sound  philosophy  the  necessity  for  grading  mental  tests  to  fit 
the  apparent  or  previously  known  mental  level  of  the  subject. 

“We  must  beware  how  we  use  a high-level  test  to  measure 
low-level  intelligence.  If  our  scales  are  set  to  weigh  nothing 
less  than  a hundred  pounds  or  upward,  we  cannot  tell  accu- 
rately the  weight  of  an  eighty-pound  man.  In  particular,  since 
devisers  of  tests  are  usually  expert  in  the  use  of  literary  symbols, 
and  since  ordinary  test  conditions  limit  seriously  the  possible 
variety  of  responses  open  to  the  subject,  we  slide  easily  into  the 
belief  that  a dextrous  manipulation  of  symbols  is  the  prime 
display  of  intelligence.  No  doubt  it  is  true  that  in  an  ideally 
developed  brain  the  language  centres  (tracts)  are  well  webbed 
up  with  every  other  trait-tract.  Ideally,  tc  experience  any- 
thing is  to  be  able  to  utter  it.  But  the  stammering  lov^r  is 
matched  by  the  stammering  thinker,  and  there  certainly  may  be 
intelligent  action  without  the  power  to  put  it  adequately  int:) 


DIFFERENT  TYPES  OF  MENTAL  TESTS  51 


words.  Probably  Caesar  is  the  only  great  general  who  could  de- 
scribe a battle  as  finely  as  he  could  plan  it  or  fight  it.  Words 
without  deeds,  deeds  without  words:  we  must  be  prepared  for 
both.  Our  old  test  question,  ‘Why  should  we  judge  a person 
by  what  he  does  rather  than  by  what  he  says?  ’ applies  to  the  test 
itself.” 

Because  of  the  fact  that  there  is  a percentage  of  persons  who, 
either  through  unfamiliarity  with  the  English  language  or  lack 
of  skill  in  expressing  themselves  through  word  and  number 
symbols,  do  not  respond  to  tests  based  on  the  use  of  words, 
any  comprehensive  scheme  of  mental  tests  must  contain  a pro- 
portion of  tests  the  response  to  which  may  be  made  without  the 
use  of  written,  printed,  or  spoken  words.  Of  such  a nature  were 
the  Army  Beta  tests,  already  referred  to,  and  there  will  be  found 
in  the  Mentimeter  tests  presented  in  this  volume  a considerable 
number  of  forms  that  fall  into  this  class  of  tests.  To  the  person 
accustomed  to  dealing  chiefly  with  words  and  ideas,  it  is  not 
always  readily  apparent  that  proof  of  a high  degree  of  intelli- 
gence can  be  obtained  by  means  of  tests  which  do  not  employ 
these  familiar  symbols.  As  a mattter  of  practical  fact,  how- 
ever, results  which  check  up  very  closely  with  every  other 
means  of  determining  the  subject’s  intelligence  were  quite 
uniformly  obtained  through  the  use  of  the  Beta  tests  in  the 
Army,  and  similar  success  has  been  achieved  through  the  appli- 
cation of  tests  of  the  same  general  character  in  industry  and 
education. 

There  is  another  general  class  of  tests  to  which  only  passing 
reference  need  be  made  here.  This  is  the  class  of  trade  tests,  in 
which  by  a combination  of  oral  examination  and  specific  per- 
formance the  precise  ability  or  degree  of  skill  of  the  subject 
in  a given  occupation  or  trade  is  determined.  Although  fre- 
quently confused  with  psychological  tests,  this  class  of  tests  does 
not  properly  come  within  the  scope  of  mental  tests  in  the  sense 
of  being  chiefly  measurements  of  intelligence.  It  has  been 
found,  however,  in  practice  that  the  individual’s  native  intelli- 


52 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


gence  or  inherent  mental  capacity  has,  in  most  occupations,  a 
very  decided  bearing  upon  the  degree  of  skill  which  he  or  she 
can  attain,  even  in  the  simpler  mechanical  operations.  Because 
of  this  fact,  as  well  as  because  the  value  of  trade  tests  in  industry 
is  of  increasing  importance,  some  of  the  principles  underlying 
the  construction  of  trade  tests  and  their  application  are  dis- 
cussed briefly  in  a later  chapter. 


CHAPTER  VI 

MENTAL  TESTS  IN  THE  ARMY 

The  United  States  of  America  entered  the  World  War  under 
conditions  of  emergency  which  demanded  the  maximum  of 
efficiency  in  the  work  of  military  preparation,  with  the  minimum 
of  effort.  France  was  virtually  broken;  England  was  tired; 
Russia  was  demoralized  and  disrupted,  and  Italy  was  doing 
very  little  more  than  holding  her  own.  The  mere  drilling  and 
conditioning  of  the  nearly  three  millions  of  men  which  the  Na- 
tion had  called  to  arms  were  not  sufficient  to  meet  the  require- 
ments of  the  task  assumed.  America  was  expected  to  develop, 
almost  overnight,  a fighting  force  capable  of  meeting  and  defeat- 
ing a Teutonic  military  machine  which  had  come  to  be  known 
as  the  most  powerful  and  skillful  in  the  world. 

The  gravity  of  the  situation  forbade  experiments  with  hit- 
or-miss  methods.  It  was  imperative  that  no  round  pegs  be 
placed  in  square  holes.  Each  one  of  those  nearly  three  million 
American  soldiers  had  to  be  placed  where  he  would  be  of  greatest 
service.  Some  simple,  quick  method  of  distribution  was 
needed.  It  was  perfectly  obvious  that  these  men  could  not  be 
equally  good  material  for  soldiers  or  officers.  Out  of  so  great  a 
number  it  was  reasonably  certain  that  men  could  be  found  es- 
pecially qualified  to  perform  each  one  of  the  particular  tasks 
which  the  infinitely  complex  scheme  of  organization  of  a modern 
army  requires. 

It  was  in  accordance  with  the  law  of  probabilities  that  there 
would  be  contained  in  this  mass  of  soldier  material  men  highly 
skilled  in  every  one  of  the  more  than  seven  hundred  distinct 
and  specific  trades  and  handicrafts  in  which  artisans  were  needed 
53 


54 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


for  the  successful  maintenance  of  the  fighting  forces  in  the  field. 
The  dragnet  of  the  selective  service  system  was  certain  to  gather 
in  its  meshes  men  who  were  natural  leaders  and  many  more  men 
who  could  only  follow.  From  every  city  block,  every  cross- 
roads hamlet,  every  village  street  would  come  those  who  could 
teach  and  those  who  could  only  learn.  It  was  inevitable, 
moreover,  that  in  this  huge  aggregation  of  human  beings  there 
would  be  a percentage  of  the  wholly  unteachable,  the  mentally 
stunted,  fit  only  to  be  hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of  water  and 
sure  to  be  a detriment  and  handicap  to  any  military  organiza- 
tion whatsoever. 

In  a lesser  degree  the  same  generalizations  applied  to  the 
human  raw  material  admitted  to  the  various  oflScers’  training 
courses;  even  though  a fairly  high  minimum  of  educational  at- 
tainment was  required  of  all  candidates,  there  was  bound  to  be  a 
wide  range  of  military  value  between  the  best  and  the  poorest 
of  this  officer  material. 

Psychology,  the  science  that  deals  with  the  human  mind, 
offered  the  only  possible  short-cut  to  the  ultimate  goal  of  the 
placement  of  every  individual  in  the  Army  at  the  point  where 
his  efficiency  would  be  greatest.  The  processes  of  the  selective 
draft  had  weeded  out  the  larger  portion  of  the  physically  unfit. 
The  draft  questionnaire,  as  finally  revised,  provided  for  a rough 
preliminary  classification  of  men  according  to  their  own  esti- 
mates of  themselves.  But  something  more  was  needed — some 
system  for  passing  the  entire  Army,  officers  and  men,  through  a 
series  of  graduated  sieves,  as  it  were,  so  cunningly  devised,  and 
operated  with  such  scientific  precision  as  to  tag,  label,  and  index 
each  and  every  one  so  exactly  that  as  little  as  possible  would  be 
left  for  experience  to  disclose  as  to  his  qualifications  for  his 
particular  part  of  the  Army’s  job. 

On  April  6,  1917,  the  United  States  Congress  declared  the 
existence  of  a state  of  war  with  Germany.  On  that  same  date 
there  was  being  held  in  Boston  a meeting  of  a group  of  psy- 
chologists known  as  the  “Experimentalists,”  among  whom  was 


MENTAL  TESTS  IN  THE  ARMY 


55 


Dr.  Robert  M.  Yerkes,  president  of  the  American  Psychological 
Association.  On  receipt  of  news  that  America  was  at  last  at 
war,  all  regular  business  of  the  meeting  was  suspended  and  those 
present  resolved  themselves  into  an  informal  committee  to 
consider  ways  and  means  by  which  the  psychologists  of  America 
could  best  serve  their  country. 

On  the  evening  of  that  day,  as  the  result  of  many  confer- 
ences, the  president  of  the  association  asked  the  council  to 
authorize  him  to  appoint  committees  on  various  phases  of  ap- 
plied psychology  for  the  purpose : first,  of  enlisting  the  coopera- 
tion of  every  trained  psychologist  in  America,  including  the  en- 
tire membership  of  the  American  Psychological  Association;  and, 
second,  of  determining  precisely  what  service  the  psychologists 
could  best  perform.  The  proposal  met  with  an  immediate 
response  and  Doctor  Yerkes  and  his  committee  went  to  work. 

The  Army  General  Staff  was  skeptical  at  first,  but  Doctor 
Yerkes  and  his  associates  overcame  this  skepticism  and  by 
midsummer  of  1917  the  Division  of  Psychology  of  the  Medical 
Department  of  the  United  States  Army,  with  Doctor  Yerkes 
at  its  head  with  the  rank  of  major,  was  actively  functioning, 
and  the  Committee  on  Classification  of  Personnel  in  the  Army 
had  been  established  and  was  demonstrating,  to  the  surprise  of 
the  General  Staff  and  the  War  Department,  the  possibility  of 
determining  by  scientific  means  the  relative  military  value  and 
proper  military  assignment  of  the  officers  and  men  of  the  Army. 
By  the  end  of  1917  psychology,  as  applied  to  war,  had  so  far 
justified  itself  that  the  Surgeon  General  reported  complete  suc- 
cess in  achieving  the  desired  results,  which  he  stated,  concisely, 
to  be:  (a)  to  aid  in  segregating  the  mentally  incompetent,  (b) 
to  classify  men  according  to  their  mental  ability,  and  (c)  to 
assist  in  selecting  competent  men  for  responsible  positions. 

The  programme  of  the  Division  of  Psychology  of  the  Medical 
Department  included  mental  tests  for  all  recruits  during  a two- 
weeks  detention  period.  These  intelligence  ratings,  as  they  were 
officially  termed,  aimed  to  aid : 


56 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


(1)  In  the  discovery  of  men  whose  superior  intelligence  sug- 
gested their  consideration  for  advancement; 

(2)  In  the  prompt  selection  and  assignment  to  development 
battalions  of  men  who  were  so  inferior  mentally  that  they  were 
suited  only  for  special  assignments ; 

(3)  In  forming  organizations  of  uniform  mental  strength 
where  such  uniformity  was  desired; 

(4)  In  forming  organizations  of  superior  mental  strength 
where  such  superiority  was  demanded  by  the  nature  of  the  work 
to  be  performed; 

(5)  In  selecting  suitable  men  for  various  army  duties  or  for 
special  training  in  colleges  or  technical  schools; 

(6)  In  the  early  formation  of  training  groups  within  a com- 
pany in  order  that  each  man  might  receive  instruction  and  drill 
according  to  his  ability  to  profit  thereby; 

(7)  In  the  early  recognition  of  slow-thinking  minds  which 
might  otherwise  be  mistaken  for  stubborn  or  disobedient  char- 
acters; 

(8)  In  eliminating  from  the  army  those  men  whose  low-grade 
intelligence  rendered  them  either  a burden  or  a menace  to  the 
service. 

In  three  systems  of  tests  in  use  between  May  1 and  October 
1, 1918,  in  the  United  States  Army,  approximately  one  million 
three  hundred  thousand  men  were  tested. 

The  test  first  applied  to  all,  men  and  officers,  who  could  read 
English,  was  known  as  the  “Alpha.”  This  was  a group  test. 
It  required  only  fifty  minutes  and  could  be  given  to  groups  as 
large  as  500.  The  test  material  was  so  arranged  that  each  of 
its  212  questions  might  be  answered  without  writing,  merely 
by  underlining,  crossing  out  or  checking.  The  papers  later  were 
scored  by  means  of  stencils,  so  that  nothing  was  left  to  the 
personal  judgment  of  those  who  did  the  scoring.  The  mental 
rating  which  resulted  therefore  was  wholly  objective. 

The  “Beta”  test  was  used  for  foreigners  and  illiterates.  It 
could  be  given  to  groups  of  from  75  to  200  and  required  approxi- 


MENTAL  TESTS  IN  THE  ARMY 


57 


mately  fifty  minutes.  Success  in  the  Beta  test  did  not  depend 
upon  knowledge  of  English,  as  the  instructions  were  given  en- 
tirely by  pantomime  and  demonstration.  It  measured  general 
intelligence  through  the  use  of  concrete  or  picture  material 
instead  of  the  printed  language.  It  also  was  scored  by  stencils 
and  yielded  an  objective  rating. 

Both  the  Alpha  and  the  Beta  tests  were  known  as  Group 
tests  because  of  the  large  number  of  men  to  whom  they  could 
be  given  simultaneously.  Those  men  who  failed  in  the  Group 
tests  were  given  Individual  tests  in  which  the  instructions  were 
given  by  a trained  psychologist  working  with  one  soldier  at  a 
time  in  a quiet  private  office.  These  Individual  tests  were  of 
two  sorts:  one  for  men  who  understood  English,  and  the  other 
for  men  without  education  and  frequently  without  knowledge 
of  the  English  language.  The  Individual  tests  served  as  a 
check  upon  the  Group  tests  which  had  preceded  them.  No  man 
was  recommended  for  discharge  or  for  labour  battalions  until 
after  he  had  been  individually  examined  by  a psychologist 
who  spent  from  a half  hour  to  an  hour  and  a half  with  him, 
attempting  to  determine  whether  or  not  the  results  of  the 
Group  tests  could  be  relied  upon. 

To  determine  the  relative  intelligence  of  five  hundred  men 
in  fifty  minutes  by  a method  so  completely  objective  that 
no  part  of  the  resulting  classification  is  based  on  the  individual 
judgment  or  opinion  of  either  the  examiner  or  any  of  the  men 
themselves  is  certainly  a practical  application  of  psychological 
science.  Simple  as  the  Alpha  test  was,  its  practical  working 
out  and  reduction  to  an  exact  scientific  formula  was  the  work 
of  hundreds  of  highly  trained  minds  for  many  months.  In  its 
concrete  application  it  looks  like  a children’s  game,  but  the 
results  are  so  ^reliable  as  to  be  almost  uncanny  in  the  precision 
with  which  they  tally  with  the  conclusions  reached  in  the  same 
cases  as  a result  of  long  and  intimate  observation. 

(For  full  details  of  the  Alpha  test  the  reader  is  referred  to 
Appendix  B to  this  volume.) 


58 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


The  highest  score  a man  eould  make  in  the  Alpha  test  was  212. 
This  is  an  absolutely  perfect  score,  a correct  answer  or  response 
to  every  one  of  the  212  questions  or  examples;  but  any  man  who 
made  a score  above  135  was  given  the  highest  possible  rating. 
Grade  A,  in  the  mental  schedule.  There  were  seven  ratings  in 
all:  A,  above  135;  B,  which  included  those  making  104  to  135; 

C,  plusy  which  took  in  those  down  to  a score  of  75;  C,  for  those 
scoring  from  45  to  74;  C,  minus,  for  those  with  scores  of  25  to 
44;  D,  for  the  ones  who  gave  from  15  to  24  correct  answers;  and 

D,  minus,  for  those  who  were  unable  to  answer  correctly  more 
than  14  out  of  the  212  questions. 

Now  for  the  proof!  Here  is  an  official  report  of  one  of  many 
comparisons  made  between  the  results  of  the  psychological  tests 
and  the  actual  observations  and  personal  knowledge  of  men  by 
their  officers. 

The  commanding  officers  of  ten  different  organizations,  rep- 
resenting various  arms  of  service  in  one  camp,  were  asked  to 
designate  (a)  the  most  efficient  men  in  their  organizations,  (b) 
the  men  of  average  value  and  (c)  the  men  so  inferior  that  they 
were  barely  able  to  perform  their  duties.  The  officers  had  been 
with  these  men  from  six  to  twelve  months  and  knew  them  ex- 
ceptionally well.  The  total  number  of  men  rated  was  965,  about 
equally  divided  between  the  three  classifications. 

After  the  officers’  ratings  had  been  made,  the  men  were  given 
the  Alpha  test,  and  the  comparison  of  results  showed  that  the 
average  score  recorded  in  this  test  by  those  men  the  officers  had 
graded  as  “best”  was  approximately  twice  as  high  as  those  the 
officers  termed  their  poorest  men.  Of  men  Scoring  C,  minus ^ 
in  the  Alpha  test,  70  per  cent,  were  those  classed  by  the  officers 
as  their  poorest  men  and  only  4.4  per  cent,  of  those  ranked  with 
the  ones  whom  the  officers  regarded  as  best.  Of  all  the  men 
whose  scores  were  above  C,  plus,  55.5  per  cent,  had  been  graded 
by  their  officers  as  their  best  men  and  only  15  per  cent,  as 
among  their  poorest  soldiers. 

In  another  camp  765  men  of  a regular  infantry  regiment,  who 


MENTAL  TESTS  IN  THE  ARMY 


59 


had  been  with  their  officers  for  several  months,  were  graded  by 
their  officers  in  five  classes,  according  to  their  practical  military 
value.  Seventy-six  of  these  men  were  rated  either  A or  B by 
the  Alpha  test;  all  but  nine  of  these  had  been  graded  “one”  and 
“two”  by  their  officers,  and  none  of  them  had  been  placed  in 
the  lowest  grade. 

Out  of  238  of  these  soldiers  who  scored  D or  D,  minus ^ in  the 
psychological  test,  all  but  eight  had  been  placed  in  the  three 
lowest  grades  by  their  officers.  The  psychological  ratings  and 
the  ratings  of  the  company  commanders  were  identical  in  49.5 
per  cent,  of  ^all  cases.  In  88.4  per  cent,  of  the  cases  the  agree- 
ment was  within  one  step,  and  in  only  seven  tenths  of  1 per 
cent,  was  there  a disagreement  between  the  psychological  test 
results  and  the  officers’  ratings  of  more  than  two  steps. 

Here  is  another  comparison.  Sixty  company  commanders 
each  named  his  ten  best  and  ten  poorest  privates.  Without 
any  knowledge  on  the  part  of  the  psychological  examiners  in 
this  or  in  any  other  of  the  comparative  tests  as  to  the  ratings  the 
officers  had  given  the  men,  the  Alpha  gave  the  grade  of  D or 
D,  minuSy  to  57.5  per  cent,  of  those  picked  as  the  poorest  and 
placed  all  but  a fractional  percentage  of  1,118  men  in  the  same 
classes  in  which  they  had  been  placed  by  their  officers  on  the 
basis  of  observation  and  experience. 

Those  who  failed  in  the  Group  tests  were  given  individual 
attention  by  the  clinical  psychologist.  The  examination  here 
was  frequently  by  the  Stanford  Revision  of  the  Binet  test  or 
by  the  Yerkes-Bridges  Point  Scale.  For  men  who  could  not 
understand  the  instructions  and  the  language  necessary  for 
taking  these  two  tests  a series  of  specially  devised  performance 
tests,  consisting  chiefly  of  picture  puzzles,  cubes,  squares,  cres- 
cents, and  other  forms  cut  from  wood,  were  provided.  The 
assumption  was  that  a man  who  has  not  intelligence  enough  to 
place  a triangular  block  in  a perfectly  obvious  triangular  hole, 
or  to  piece  together  the  six  or  seven  parts  which,  when  properly 
assembled,  make  up  the  figure  of  a man  or  a ship  is  so  hopelessly 


60 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


deficient  mentally  as  to  be  not  only  of  no  value,  but  a positive 
detriment  to  the  Army.  In  many  instances  fully  grown  men 
with  the  mentality  of  children  seven  or  eight  years  old  were  thus 
weeded  out  from  among  the  recruits  who  had  successfully  passed 
the  physical  tests  and  been  inducted  into  the  service.  Men  mak- 
ing the  D,  minus,  or  E score  in  either  the  Alpha  or  the  Beta  tests 
were  graded  as  of  very  inferior  intelligence;  D,  minus,  men  were 
held  to  be  fit  for  regular  service  but  the  E men  were  recom- 
mended for  service  in  the  development  battalions  or  for  dis- 
charge. 

About  15  per  cent,  of  all  the  soldiers  examined  were  scored 
in  the  D class.  They  were  ranked  as  of  inferior  intelligence, 
likely  to  be  fairly  good  soldiers  but  slow  in  learning,  short  on 
initiative,  requiring  more  than  the  usual  amount  of  supervision, 
and  unable  to  rise  above  the  grade  of  private.  Most  D,  minus, 
and  E men  were  below  the  mental  age  of  ten  years;  few  men 
making  a psychological  score  of  D had  the  intelligence  of  the 
average  normal  fourteen-year-old  boy.  About  20  per  cent, 
of  the  1,500,000  soldiers  examined  by  the  psychological  method 
made  the  score  of  C,  minus,  which  indicated  low  average  in- 
telligence. These  men  were  good  soldiers,  however,  and  did 
satisfactory  work  in  routine  matters.  The  C men,  those  of 
average  intelligence,  included  about  25  per  cent,  of  the  drafted 
men  and  furnished  a fair  proportion  of  non-commissioned  ma- 
terial. 

Those  in  the  C,  plus,  rating,  which  indicated  high  average 
intelligence,  included  from  about  15  to  18  per  cent,  of  all  the 
soldiers  examined.  This  group  provided  not  only  a large 
amount  of  non-commissioned  oflficer  material,  but  an  occa- 
sional soldier  whose  qualities  of  leadership  and  power  to  com- 
mand fitted  him  for  a commission. 

A man  who  made  a score  of  B in  the  Alpha  test  was  graded 
as  of  superior  intelligence.  Between  8 and  10  per  cent,  of  all 
soldiers  examined  made  the  B score.  This  group  included  a large 
proportion  of  men  of  the  commissioned-officer  type  and  a very 


MENTAL  TESTS  IN  THE  ARMY 


61 


large  proportion  of  men  fit  for  the  higher  non-commissioned 
officers’  details. 

Only  4 to  5 per  cent,  of  the  men  in  the  Army  made  the 
score  of  A in  the  Alpha  test,  which  means  that  they  were  able 
to  answer  in  the  given  time,  correctly,  more  than  135  of  the  212 
questions  in  the  test.  These  were  men  of  very  superior  intel- 
ligence— indeed,  of  marked  intellectuality.  Men  of  this  mental 
type  who  had  any  leadership  ability  whatsoever  made  the 
various  grades  of  commissioned  officers. 

The  practical  application  of  the  psychological  tests  covered 
a very  wide  range.  The  highest  intelligence  among  enlisted 
men  was  required  in  the  Field  Artillery,  Machine-Gun  Batta- 
lions, and  Signal  Corps.  Men  of  the  lowest  grade  of  intelligence 
served  as  labourers,  teamsters,  and  in  other  non-combatant  ser- 
vice, while  men  only  slightly  below  the  average  performed  the 
duties  of  an  infantryman  satisfactorily. 

By  the  application  of  the  mental  tests  it  was  found  possible 
to  bring  up  the  average  of  particular  companies,  regiments,  and 
detachments,  by  exchanging  men  of  high  mentality  from  one 
regiment  for  an  equal  number  of  men  of  the  lower  mental  grade 
from  another  regiment  in  which  the  average  of  ability  was  low. 
A great  saving  of  time  and  energy  was  made  possible  by  being 
able  to  determine  that  a particular  soldier,  on  the  strength 
of  his  psychological  score,  was  qualified  to  become  a good 
artilleryman,  machine  gunner,  or  signal-corps  man,  or  what 
not.  If  only  in  preventing  the  loading  up  of  combatant 
divisions  with  men  qualified  only  for  the  service  of  supply, 
the  work  of  the  psychologists  made  possible  the  elimination 
of  incalculable  delay  in  getting  our  overseas  contingent  ready 
to  fight. 

The  intelligence  tests  used  in  the  Army  were  admittedly 
imperfect  at  many  points.  They  were  especially  designed  for 
and  adapted  to  the  testing  of  a very  much  larger  group  than  is 
ever  likely  again  to  be  subjected  to  any  single  test  or  series  of 
tests,  and  so,  for  most  civilian  purposes,  these  Alpha  and  Beta 


62 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


tests  cannot  be  taken  as  a fair  or  complete  system  of  ascertain- 
ing all  the  facts  which  mental  tests  ought  to  disclose.  But 
at  the  time  and  for  their  particular  purpose  they  functioned 
admirably,  as  all  persons  familiar  with  the  result  obtained  will 
concede. 


CHAPTER  VII 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  TESTS  IN  EDUCATION 

Just  as  intelligence  tests  in  the  Army  have  developed  a new 
appreciation  of  the  significance  of  analyses  of  intelligence  as  a 
means  of  selecting  the  right  man  for  the  right  place  in  the  mili- 
tary machine,  so  have  scientifically  devised  mental  tests  em- 
phasized the  possibilities  of  more  rapid  and  satisfactory  progress 
in  our  educational  activities. 

The  application  of  psychology  to  the  measurement  of  teach- 
ing methods  in  institutions  of  learning  is  of  comparatively  re- 
cent origin.  Up  to  ten  years  ago  we  had  been  able  to  make  very 
little  use  of  tests  for  the  measurement  of  intelligence  in  schools, 
colleges,  and  universities.  We  were  fighting  blindly,  as  it  were, 
to  overcome  the  problems  which  faced  us  at  every  turn.  We 
had  no  concrete  guide,  for  instance,  in  our  efforts  to  select 
proper  courses  of  study  for  children  and  adults  of  various  mental 
capacities,  nor  could  we  decide  upon  uniform  efforts  toward  the 
disposal  of  such  questions  as  vocational  guidance,  schoolroom 
procedure,  juvenile  delinquency,  promotional  schemes,  retarda- 
tion of  children,  and  the  proper  treatment  of  sub-normal  and 
gifted  pupils. 

The  retardation  problem,  for  example,  has  become  serious. 
Statistics  indicate  that  from  one  third  to  one  half  of  the  children 
in  the  public  schools  of  the  United  States  fail  to  advance  with 
the  speed  expected  of  them.  Ten  to  15  per  cent,  are  re- 
tarded two  years  or  more.  Five  to  8 per  cent,  do  not  come 
within  three  years  of  the  state  of  development  set  as  a standard. 
More  than  10  per  cent,  of  the  $500,000,000  spent  every  year 
in  this  country  for  school  instruction  purposes  is  used  for  re- 
63 


64 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


teaching  children  what  they  already  have  been  “taught”  but 
have  failed  to  learn. 

Many  efforts  toward  reform  have  been  fruitful  but  disappoint- 
ing. The  supposition  that  evils  in  existing  systems  could  be 
completely  cured  by  adopting  new  methods  of  instruction,  al- 
tering promotion  methods,  giving  increased  attention  to  chil- 
dren’s health,  and  adoption  of  other  innovations,  was  less  effect- 
ive, experiments  have  shown,  than  was  generally  anticipated 
by  educators  who  put  these  theories  into  operation.  These 
reforms  were  less  successful  than  their  authors  expected  they 
would  be,  for  the  reason  that  the  reformers  fell  into  the  error  of 
assuming  that,  under  the  right  conditions,  all  children  would 
be  equally,  or  almost  equally  capable  of  making  satisfactory 
progress.  They  failed  to  take  into  account  the  fact  that  there 
are  more  than  two  classes  of  school  children  and  that  they  can- 
not be  graded  merely  as  “feeble-minded”  and  “normal.”  There 
are  all  degrees  of  intelligence,  ranging  from  idiocy  on  the  one 
hand  to  genius  on  the  other,  and  any  efforts  toward  improve- 
ment of  conditions  must  be  applied  with  full  recognition  of  such 
differences. 

There  are  wide  differences  among  normal  human  beings  in 
mental  inheritance  and  these  differences  affect  to  a marked 
degree  the  capacity  of  men,  women,  and  children  to  profit  from 
instruction.  Just  as  the  Army  had  to  allow  for  differences  in 
mental  capacity,  so  must  the  schools  differentiate  courses  of  study 
in  such  a way  that  each  pupil  will  be  allowed  to  study  in  a man- 
ner that  is  easy  for  him,  whether  that  manner  be  rapid  or  slow. 

Dr.  Lewis  M.  Terman,  Professor  of  Education  at  Stanford 
University,  in  California,  who  writes  with  more  authority  than 
any  other  author  on  the  application  of  psychological  tests  in 
schools,  emphasizes  the  fact  that  little  progress  can  be  made  to- 
ward the  correction  of  present  evils  until  we  acquire  a more 
scientific  knowledge  of  the  material  with  which  we  deal.  This 
phase  of  the  problem  perhaps  suggests  the  only  practical  way  to- 
ward solution. 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  TESTS  IN  EDUCATION  65 


Intelligence  tests  in  schools  and  higher  institutions  have  been 
given  a wide  range  of  application,  but  in  virtually  every  instance 
the  results  have  justified  the  claim  of  superiority  for  these  tests 
over  other  methods  of  classifying  students.  In  some  instances 
positively  startling  developments  have  been  noted. 

Of  particular  interest,  from  the  viewpoint  of  educators  who 
already  are  convinced  of  the  value  of  intelligence  rating  in 
educational  institutions,  is  the  report  of  experiments  at  Pubhc 
School  No  64,  New  York  City.  The  object  was  to  select, 
group,  and  train  a number  of  children  of  very  superior  intel- 
ligence, in  an  attempt  toward  the  solution  of  the  grading  prob- 
lem. 

The  experiment  was  suggested  by  a survey  made  several 
years  ago  by  a psychologist  employed  by  the  Public  Education 
Association.  Among  a number  of  so-called  average  children 
was  W.  H.,  a boy.  W.  H.’s  mental  age  measured  about  two 
years  ahead  of  his  age  in  years.  His  physical  development  was 
superior  to  the  average  child  of  his  grade,  consequently  he  be- 
came an  interesting  subject  to  study.  He  was  promoted  as 
soon  as  he  acquired  the  essential  features  of  the  work  in  each 
grade,  and,  without  any  conscious  effort  on  his  part,  he  ac- 
complished the  work  of  nine  grades  in  two  years.  W.  H.  was 
especially  fond  of  athletics  and  outdoor  sports.  He  took  his 
school  work  as  a matter  of  course  and  showed  no  indication  of 
special  interest  in  books  or  study.  By  the  time  he  had  reached 
the  fifth  grade  several  other  boys  of  approximately  the  same 
ability  had  been  discovered. 

One  day  the  psychologist,  the  principal,  and  one  of  the  as- 
sistants discussed  the  possibility  of  forming  a class  composed  of 
children  similarly  gifted.  Special  classes  for  defective  chil- 
dren, with  a course  of  study  adapted  to  their  needs,  had  been 
in  existence  for  some  time.  Why  not  organize  special  classes 
for  children  at  the  other  end  of  the  scale,  composed  of  those 
showing  the  highest  grade  of  intelligence?  Surely  these  chil- 
dren, society’s  greatest  assets,  were  entitled  to  progress  at  the 


66 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


speed  that  was  desirable  and  normal  to  them.  If  defective 
children  of  ungraded  classes  were  worthy  of  a course  of  study 
peculiarly  adapted  to  their  limitations,  certainly  an  enriched 
curriculum  must  be  provided  to  meet  the  needs  of  children 
whose  capabilities  extended  to  the  highest  degree  of  attainment. 

The  initial  selection  of  children  was  made  from  the  5A  class 
of  W.  H.’s  associates,  from  other  fifth-  and  sixth-grade  classes 
in  the  school,  and  from  similar  grades  of  Public  School  No.  15, 
a neighbouring  school  for  girls.  The  aim  was  to  choose  an 
equal  number  of  boys  and  girls  from  four  or  five  grades.  The 
selection  was  limited  to  grades  4B  through  6B.  The  basis  of 
selection  was  determined  by  the  following  factors : 

1 —  The  age-grade  standard  was  considered.  Those  children 
were  selected  who  were  below  the  normal  age  for  the  grade  and 
whose  school  records  showed  a standing  of  general  excellence 
for  successive  terms. 

2 —  The  evidence  of  superior  ability  as  displayed  in  oral  recita- 
tion during  visits  made  by  the  psychologist  and  the  assistant  to 
the  principal. 

3 —  An  analytical  inspection  of  school  record  cards. 

4 —  Two  boys,  H.  R.  and  R.  P.,  had  received  prizes  in  Wana- 
maker’s  drawing  competitions.  Both  of  these  boys  passed  the 
required  intelligence  tests. 

5 —  A few  interesting  incidents  were  the  means  of  discovering 
some  other  eligible  candidates. 

One  Sunday  evening,  while  the  teacher  who  later  became  the 
instructor  of  this  new  special  class  was  visiting  the  Christodora 
House,  a neighbouring  settlement,  the  leader  of  the  evening  hour 
asked  the  children  the  difference  between  God  and  guard. 
A boy,  E.  R.,  defined  the  words  in  such  concise  and  perfect 
English  that  the  attention  of  the  visitors  became  centred  on 
him.  Later  he  was  promoted  from  a school  he  was  attending 
to  Public  School  No.  64  and  was  admitted  to  the  class  of  chil- 
dren of  superior  intelligence. 

E.  R.  was  a fatalist.  He  told  an  interested  visitor,  who 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  TESTS  IN  EDUCATION  67 


questioned  him  as  to  how  he  came  to  be  admitted  to  the  class, 
that  it  was  fate  that  he  was  chosen.  He  said  he  had  been  in- 
different about  attending  the  “Children’s  Hour’’  at  which  his 
ability  had  been  noticed,  but  that  his  brother  had  urged  him  to 
go.  “You  see,”  said  E.  R.,  “if  I hadn’t  gone  I might  never 
have  been  chosen  for  this  class.” 

A bright,  aggressive-looking  boy  entered  the  principal’s  office 
one  afternoon  and  asked  the  principal  if  he  had  room  in  his  class 
for  a “bright  6A  boy.”  He  said  he  lived  in  the  district  of  School 
No.  64  and  had  heard  there  were  classes  for  children  of  excellent 
record.  His  report  card  showed  an  A-A  record  and  he  was 
admitted.  The  final  issue  was  determined  by  the  showing  of 
the  pupils  in  intelligence  tests  devised  by  Dr.  Lewis  M.  Terman, 
and  by  their  social  traits.  Two  children  who  had  the  necessary 
qualifications  otherwise  were  not  considered  because  of  several 
unfavourable  traits  of  character. 

The  foregoing  instances  are  cited  to  indicate  some  of  the  ways 
in  which  children  were  selected  for  the  class.  The  next  factor 
considered  was  the  choice  of  a teacher.  It  was  necessary  that 
she  show  high  intelligence  or  she  would  not  be  able  to  attack  the 
problems  which  such  a class  would  present.  The  principal  had 
no  standardized  test  by  which  to  measure  her  ability  but  he  was 
guided  by  many  of  the  principles  of  general  excellence  that 
marked  the  selection  of  the  pupils. 

From  a group  of  eighty-four  he  tried  to  select  a teacher  who 
showed  initiative,  ability  to  meet  new  situations,  both  intel- 
lectually and  socially,  one  who  sympathized  with  and  understood 
the  orthodox  training  of  these  children,  and  who  would  lead  them 
to  follow  high  standards  of  American  ideals  and  customs,  and 
whose  scholarship  was  superior,  especially  in  language.  All 
these  virtues,  in  addition  to  a zest  and  zeal  for  the  experiment, 
were  embodied  in  Miss  G. 

The  next  important  step  was  to  devise  a curriculum  for  the 
class,  which  became  known  as  the  Terman  Class,  because  the 
tests  used  in  selecting  it  had  been  suggested  by  Doctor  Terman. 


68 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


The  grades  that  represented  the  first  term  were  4B  through 
6B;  the  second  term  6 A through  7B;  and  the  third  term,  7A 
through  8B.  Formal  grammar  and  arithmetic  were  assigned 
sequentially  as  outlined  in  the  city  syllabus.  The  class  in  gen- 
eral studied  contemporary  history,  based  upon  the  World  War, 
from  newspapers  and  periodicals,  and,  whenever  possible,  these 
events  were  related  to  or  associated  with  past  history.  Geog- 
raphy was  studied  in  relation  to  history  and  then  extended 
until  the  world  geography  as  outlined  in  the  course  of  study  was 
acquired. 

An  extended  amount  of  reading  was  assigned.  The  supple- 
mentary lists  issued  by  Professors  Baker  and  Abbott,  of  Teachers 
College,  Columbia  University;  the  reading  list  of  the  Ethical 
Culture  School;  and  the  list  issued  by  Doctor  Leland,  Director 
of  Libraries,  were  used  as  guides. 

Music,  drawing,  and  physical  training  were  taken  by  the  class 
as  general  exercises.  These  covered  the  grade  requirements. 
The  composition  of  plays,  songs,  and  dances  for  special  pro- 
grammes also  was  undertaken.  The  privilege  of  observing  plants 
and  live  animals,  their  care,  habits,  and  manner  of  reproduction, 
was  provided  in  the  nature-study  room  of  the  school.  Some  of 
the  boys  were  given  manual  training  in  the  shops  of  the  prevoca- 
tional  school  after  the  regular  session  of  the  academic  depart- 
ment. The  class  attended  the  senior  assemblies  of  the  school 
at  least  once  a week  and  as  many  more  times  as  the  educational 
activities  of  the  school  permitted.  The  privileges  enjoyed  out- 
side the  classroom  educated  these  children  socially  in  ways  that 
few  pupils  of  large  and  congested  schools  may  experience. 

One  period  a week  was  spent  in  the  reading  and  study  of 
assigned  subjects  in  the  Tompkins  Square  Public  Library.  Chil- 
dren were  made  acquainted  with  all  departments  of  the  library 
and  its  facilities.  Reference  books,  magazines,  and  newspapers 
were  at  their  service.  The  children  were  permitted  to  use  a 
club  room  in  the  Christodora  House  once  a week  for  musical  and 
social  exercises.  A gymnasium  was  at  their  disposal  in  this 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  TESTS  IN  EDUCATION  69 


institution  two  periods  a week,  and  one  of  the  Christodora 
House’s  workers  was  assigned  to  teach  the  cooking  club  of  the 
class.  Another  social  worker  taught  a quartette  of  the  class 
how  to  play  the  violin.  Two  boys  who  showed  aptitude  in 
art  were  given  additional  instruction  after  school  at  the  “Boys’ 
Club,”  a neighbouring  institution.  The  class  was  taken  on 
excursions  to  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art,  the  New  York 
Public  Library,  the  Jumel  Mansion,  and  Dyckman  House — to 
study  colonial  furnishings  and  historical  material — the  Museum 
of  Natural  History,  a sight-seeing  yacht  trip  around  Manhattan 
Island,  theatre  parties,  campfire  parties,  and  fiower  shows. 

During  the  first  term  of  six  months  the  progress  ranged  from 
one  to  four  grades.  No  pressure  of  any  kind  was  brought  to 
bear.  The  children  were  allowed  to  advance  as  soon  as  they 
acquired  the  work  of  each  grade.  The  younger  children  reaped 
the  advantage  of  the  experience  of  associating  with  those  a 
trifle  older.  This  privilege  perhaps  accounted  for  the  greater 
rate  of  progress  by  the  younger  pupils.  During  the  first 
term  the  average  progress  was  two  and  two  thirds  grades  and 
during  the  subsequent  terms  two  grades  were  accomplished  each 
term. 

The  suggestion,  of  course,  is  obvious,  that  the  general  ap- 
plication of  psychological  tests  of  intelligence  to  school  children 
everywhere  would  reveal  similar  exceptional  mentalities  in  many 
schools  and  classes,  and  that  we  have  at  last,  in  tests  of  this 
character,  an  accurate  method  of  distinguishing  between  mere 
parrot-like  ability  to  memorize  and  repeat  lessons  and  actual 
mental  capacity.  That  there  must  result,  from  the  wider  ap- 
plication of  the  scientific  method  of  mental  measurement,  a 
general  regrading  of  school  pupils,  if  not  indeed  a general  re- 
organization of  existing  schemes  and  systems  of  education,  goes 
almost  without  saying. 

The  use  of  intelligence  tests  for  college  entrance  has  shown  sat- 
isfactory results  in  several  institutions.  In  one  in  particular, 
the  Carnegie  Institute  of  Technology  of  Pittsburgh,  a group  of 


70 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


the  freshman  girls  in  the  Margaret  Morrison  Carnegie  School 
for  Girls,  was  experimented  on  with  such  success  that  the  results 
have  been  widely  discussed. 

All  of  the  114  freshmen  were  high  school  graduates.  The 
first-year  course,  on  which  the  instructors  based  their  estimates 
of  the  students,  contains  the  following  subjects;  physics,  sewing, 
history,  English,  drawing  and  colour,  hygiene,  chemistry,  foods, 
accounting,  and  social  ethics. 

Six  mental  tests  were  used,  designed  to  answer  the  following 
questions: 

(1)  Can  we  demonstrate  that  we  can  reduce  the  number  of 
students  who  are  dropped  for  poor  scholarship  or  placed  on  pro- 
bation for  poor  scholarship  by  the  use  of  our  mental  tests  for 
admission? 

(2)  How  do  our  mental  test  ratings  of  all  the  students  com- 
pare with  the  faculty  opinion  about  the  general  ability  of  the 
students? 

The  first  criterion  referred  only  to  those  who  were  pronounced 
as  failures  and  dropped  from  college  for  inability  to  do  college 
work,  or  placed  on  probation  as  doubtful  students  with  two 
thirds  of  the  regular  programme.  The  second  criterion  had  refer- 
ence to  the  whole  class,  including  the  good  students.  A letter 
was  sent  to  all  members  of  the  faculty  asking  them  to  indicate 
the  student’s  general  ability  as  compared  to  the  general  ability 
of  the  class.  A list  of  names,  with  ten  numbered  spaces  after 
each  name,  was  appended.  The  tests  which  agreed  fairly  well 
with  the  pooled  judgment  of  the  faculty  were  retained.  The 
tests  which  failed  in  this  regard  were  either  improved  or  can- 
celled. When  the  returns  were  complete  the  instructor’s  esti- 
mate was  determined  for  each  student  and  was  used  as  a criterion 
for  the  tests. 

The  tests  were  analyzed  both  by  correlation  methods  referring 
to  the  group  as  a whole,  and  by  inspection  of  scatter  diagrams 
r 'ferring  to  individual  students.  By  devising  a critical  score  it 
was  pv)ssible  to  arrive  at  a mental-test  rating.  The  results  of 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  TESTS  IN  EDUCATION  71 


this  system  of  rating  indicated,  according  to  Prof.  L.  L.  Thur« 
stone,  of  the  Carnegie  Institute,  that: 

(a)  Seven  out  of  eleven  failures  could  have  been  eliminated 
at  the  beginning  of  the  year. 

(b)  Eight  out  of  seventeen  students  placed  on  probation  for 
poor  scholarship  should  have  been  eliminated  at  the  beginning  of 
the  year. 

(c)  Not  one  of  the  students  who  were  below  the  critical  men- 
tal-test rating  was  acceptable  as  a student.  All  of  them  should 
have  been  spared  the  discouragement  which  comes  from  failure 
and  should  have  been  advised  to  take  up  some  other  work. 

(d)  None  of  the  acceptable  students  scored  below  the  lower 
critical  mental-test  rating. 

(e)  All  of  the  freshmen  rated  high  by  the  faculty  were  above 
the  average  in  the  mental-test  rating. 

(/)  Mental  tests  have  been  demonstrated  to  constitute  a useful 
criterion  for  admission  to  college. 

In  October,  1918,  first-year  men  in  Brown  University  were 
given  two  series  of  psychological  tests,  an  interval  of  several 
days  separating  the  administration  of  Series  I and  II.  Emphasis 
was  placed  upon  thought  and  accuracy,  rather  than  upon  speed. 
Two  hundred  and  ten  students  of  the  same  University  took  the 
Alpha  test  of  the  Army  in  January,  1919.  Of  these  men,  103 
also  had  taken  the  Brown  University  tests.  Series  I and  II. 
This  made  a comparison  possible. 

Two  hundred  and  twelve  men  took  Series  I.  Both  the 
average  and  median  were  66  on  the  basis  of  100  as  a maximum 
score.  One  hundred  and  seventy-eight  men,  all  of  whom  had 
taken  Series  I,  took  Series  II.  It  was  administered  after  the  stu- 
dents had  begun  military  training  of  a rigorous  nature  and  when 
they  were  far  from  fresh.  The  composite  score  of  Series  I and 
Series  II,  made  from  the  records  of  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
eight  men  who  had  taken  both  tests,  showed  that  the  Brown 
University  Series  proved  as  good  as  a measure  of  scholastic 
standing  as  did  the  Army  test  for  military  fitness. 


72 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Prof.  Stephen  S.  Colvin,  of  Brown  University,  writing  on 
these  psychological  tests,  says  that  in  addition  to  the  evidence 
obtained  by  correlating  the  test  results  and  the  students’  aca- 
demic marks,  as  to  the  relation  between  the  scores  of  the  psy- 
chological tests  and  academic  standing,  there  is  further  indica- 
tion that  the  psychological  tests  proved  of  considerable  value  in 
showing  the  probable  success  of  a student  in  his  academic  work. 

During  the  first  half  of  the  year,  eighty  students  were  reported 
as  doing  unsatisfactory  work.  Of  these  eighty  students,  thir- 
teen had  received  a score  of  “good”  or  “very  good”  in  the 
psychological  tests;  fourteen  had  received  an  average  score: 
while  in  the  cases  of  fifty-three  the  score  was  either  “poor,”  or 
“very  poor.”  During  the  second  term,  thirty-four  men  were 
reported  as  doing  considerably  above  average  grade.  Of  those 
thus  reported,  five  ranked  “superior”  in  their  psychological 
tests;  nineteen  “very  good”;  seven  “good”;  two  “average”; 
and  one  “poor.” 

Interesting  results  were  noted  in  intelligence  tests  at  the 
University  of  Illinois  on  March  6,  1919,  when  nearly  3,500 
students,  who  were  distributed  in  twenty-four  different  halls, 
were  examined  simultaneously.  The  Army  test  (Alpha)  was 
used.  Various  members  of  the  faculty,  including  deans,  vol- 
unteered for  special  preparatory  training  to  act  as  examiners  and 
alternate  examiners.  It  was  an  interesting  spectacle  to  witness 
eminent  men  voluntarily  in  the  role  of  students  and  being 
“tested.” 

In  a summary  of  the  results  of  the  tests.  Dr.  David  Spence 
Hill  says : 

“ The  smallness  of  difference  between  median  scores  of  classes 
within  each  college  of  the  large  groups  of  students  is  insigni- 
ficant. As  between  freshmen,  sophomores,  juniors,  and  seniors 
the  extreme  difference  was  less  than  2 per  cent,  in  the  col- 
lege of  literature,  arts  and  sciences;  less  than  4 per  cent, 
in  the  colleges  of  engineering,  and  of  agriculture;  about  5 per 
cent,  in  the  colleges  of  commerce,  and  less  than  3 per  cent,  in 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  TESTS  IN  EDUCATION  73 


the  three  years  of  the  graduate  school.  Differences  as  small  as 
these  are  safely  to  be  accounted  for  by  chance  or  by  variations 
of  one  kind  and  another.” 

The  report  of  the  value  as  a whole  of  the  intelligence  test, 
signed  by  members  of  the  University  staff,  says,  in  part: 

‘‘On  the  whole,  the  experiment  performed  by  the  energetic 
cooperation  of  nearly  four  thousand  university  people  may  be 
regarded  as  remarkably  successful  for  the  purposes  intended. 
If  for  no  other  reasons,  it  has  been  worth  while  as  a study  of  a 
device  used  already  upon  nearly  two  millions  of  men  engaged 
as  soldiers  in  the  great  historic  undertaking — the  World  War.  It 
has  been  a means  of  self-revelation  to  many  persons  on  the 
campus.  When  the  statistics  are  all  worked  out  in  careful 
detail  we  shall  obtain  new  insight  into  some  educational  prob- 
lems.” 

At  Hamline  University,  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  the  Alpha  test  was 
given  to  74  men  and  145  women,  but  reports  on  the  results  of  the 
test  are  confined  to  61  men  and  145  women.  The  median  for 
the  men  tested  was  129  and  133  for  women.  The  higher  level 
for  women  was  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  there  were  more 
seniors  and  juniors  among  the  women  than  among  the  men.  The 
medians  for  these  two  classes  of  women  were  138  and  150  re- 
spectively, but  for  the  men  in  the  same  classes,  132  and  130 
respectively.  A somewhat  higher  standing  for  women  was  evi- 
dent when  the  entire  series  of  tests  were  considered,  although 
the  mathematical  problems  in  the  tests  were  harder  for  the 
women. 

In  questions  of  practical  judgment,  disarranged  sentences  and 
analogies,  all  of  which  involved  nimbleness  of  wit,  the  women 
showed  superiority  to  the  men.  In  questions  of  general  in- 
formation, however,  the  men  established  a lead  over  the  women, 
but  of  only  2.5  per  cent. 

Prof.  Gregory  D.  Walcott,  who  reports  the  tests  at  Ham- 
line, is  not  convinced  that  the  Alpha  tests,  designed  for  military 
purposes,  are  the  best  for  determining  the  fitness  of  students 


74 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


for  college  work.  He  says,  however,  that  the  degree  of  correla- 
tion obtained  in  the  Hamline  tests  indicates  that  the  Alpha 
tests  are  of  tremendous  value. 

Intelligence  tests  are  being  used  at  regular  intervals  at  the 
University  of  Rochester.  The  method  of  application  is  de- 
scribed as  follows  by  Louis  A.  Pechstein,  Professor  of  Psychol- 
ogy at  the  University. 

“We  call  our  freshmen  to  the  campus  a week  early.  The 
introductory  week  is  given  largely  to  lectures  on  college  ethics 
and  problems  of  study.  During  the  first  day  of  the  week  I give 
all  the  entrants  both  the  Alpha  and  the  Otis  Group  Intelligence 
tests.  The  marks  and  groupings  are  turned  into  the  office  and, 
so  far  as  possible,  we  shall  make  up  several  representative  classes 
of  men  supposedly  of  the  same  general  mental  make-up.  - 

“During  the  first  term  we  shall  test  the  entire  student  body 
and  then  begin  to  correlate  with  teachers’  opinions  and  grade 
records.  In  no  sense  are  we  committed,  but  we  shall  try  to 
influence  our  programme  making  and  section  determination  by 
the  testing  results.  Then  I shall  issue  a report  to  each  student 
regarding  his  standing,  apparent  strong  and  weak  processes, 
and  try  to  help  him  in  his  development.” 

Other  reports  from  schools,  colleges,  and  universities  indicate 
the  widespread  adoption  of  intelligence  tests  in  determining  the 
probable  measure  of  success  which  a student  will  attain  in  his 
studies,  or  whether  he  is  fitted,  mentally,  for  the  career  he  con- 
templates. 

The  group  tests  of  intelligence  have  demonstrated  their  value 
in  educational  work  to  such  an  extent  that,  following  the  lead 
of  Columbia  University,  a large  number  of  prominent  American 
universities  and  colleges  are  employing  tests  of  intellectual 
ability  as  at  least  partial  substitutes  for  the  time-honoured 
college  entrance  examinations.  Instead  of  requiring  each  pros- 
pective student  to  take  an  examination  in  which  he  would  be 
required  to  demonstrate  that  he  remembered  the  facts  learned 
in  high  school,  the  present  scheme  is  to  examine  the  men  who 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  TESTS  IN  EDUCATION  75 

desire  to  enter  college  by  means  of  the  psychological  tests  de- 
signed to  measure  general  fitness  and  intelligence.  The  theory 
behind  this  movement  is  that  men  should  be  allowed  to  enter 
college  provided  their  intelligence  and  mental  capacity  is  such 
as  would  enable  them  to  profit  by  the  instruction,  regardless  of 
whether  such  men  could  recall  the  required  percentage  of  the 
facts  taught  them  by  their  high  school  teachers. 

This  same  philosophy  will  undoubtedly  spread  very  widely 
through  the  high  schools  and  elementary  schools  as  well  as 
through  the  colleges.  A child  should  be  allowed  to  undertake 
that  work  for  which  he  is  fitted  by  nature  and  intellectual  ca- 
pacity, regardless  of  what  his  past  academic  training  may  have 
been.  It  is  unreasonable  to  require  young  men  who,  because  of 
some  accident,  left  school  early  in  life  and  have  continued  their 
education  through  their  own  efforts,  to  go  back  and  begin  with 
younger  pupils  a course  of  study,  which  will  have  very  little 
practical  value  to  them,  before  they  are  allowed  to  undertake  the 
professional  courses  they  desire  and  are  capable  of  undertaking 
at  once.  The  group-examination  method,  which  is  employed 
by  the  majority  of  the  Mentimeter  tests,  has  been  the  greatest 
possible  stimulus  to  the  employment  of  intelligence  examina- 
tions, because  of  the  great  saving  of  time  which  it  affects  over 
the  method  of  individual  examinations. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

MENTAL  TESTS  IN  INDUSTRY 

The  case  for  scientific  mental  tests  as  a prerequisite  to  the 
employment  of  beginners  in  business  and  industry  has  been  well 
put  by  Dr.  Henry  C.  Link.  In  addressing  a convention  of 
California  railroad  men,  Doctor  Link  said : 

“Would  you,  gentlemen,  enter  into  a contract  to  buy  material 
from  a concern,  the  excellence  of  whose  product  you  had  grave 
reason  to  doubt?  Would  you  place  orders  to  the  extent  of  three 
and  one  half  millions  of  dollars  a year,  waive  inspection  of  ma- 
terial, accept  whatever  was  offered  you,  and  make  no  effort  to 
get  your  money’s  worth?  You  would  not — not  if  you  expected 
to  hold  your  job.  And  yet,  that  is  what  you  are  doing  with 
respect  to  the  public  education  system  of  California.  In  1916 
the  railroads  of  this  state  paid  in  operative  taxes  $7,151,583.  Of 
this  sum  51  per  cent.,  or  $3,647,300,  was  used  for  purposes  of 
public  education. 

“ The  hoys  and  girls  sent  you  from  the  public  schools  you  take 
into  your  service,  sometimes  after  a perfunctory  mental  exami- 
nation, generally  with  none;  in  other  words,  you  waive  inspection, 
and  then  complain  of  the  character  of  material  after  it  has 
reached  you  and  been  paid  for.” 

It  is,  of  course,  in  the  case  of  the  untried  beginner  in  busi- 
ness or  industrial  life,  the  boy  or  girl  fresh  from  school  who  has  as 
yet  had  no  opportunity  to  discover  or  to  demonstrate  his  or  her 
ability  or  capacity,  that  the  application  of  scientific  mental  tests 
is  most  essential. 

The  skilled  worker  of  long  experience,  master  of  his  craft  or  of 
one  or  another  of  the  specialized  mechanical  operations  that 
76 


MENTAL  TESTS  IN  INDUSTRY 


77 


enter  so  largely  into  modern  industrial  processes,  has  already 
found  a definite  place  in  the  scheme  of  things  and  a simple 
trade  or  performance  test  is  all  that  is  required  to  indicate  where 
that  place  is.  For  the  present,  at  least,  we  are  concerned  with 
the  worker  of  this  class  only  long  enough  to  point  out,  in  pass- 
ing, that  a generally  adopted  scheme  of  intelligence  measure- 
ment might  have  disclosed  the  possession  by  any  individual  of 
this  group  of  abilities  that  would  have  given  him  a broader  field 
and  a happier  and  more  useful  existence,  had  he  and  those  re- 
sponsible for  giving  him  a start  in  life  been  made  aware  of  them 
early  enough.  Even  to-day,  when  he  has  been  engaged  in  his 
narrowly  limited  field  of  work  for  the  better  part  of  his  active 
working  life,  he  may  have  latent  or  undeveloped  mental  capacity 
such  as  would  qualify  him  for  more  important,  better-paid  em- 
ployment were  some  means  provided  for  disclosing  its  exist- 
ence. 

There  is,  in  fact,  no  degree  or  kind  of  employment  for  which 
a more  intelligent  and  satisfactory  selection  of  employees  cannot 
be  made  by  means  of  properly  devised  mental  tests,  accurately 
applied,  than  by  any  other  method  now  in  use.  Under  the  di- 
rection of  Dr.  Walter  Dill  Scott  the  Carnegie  School  of  Scientific 
Salesmanship  of  Pittsburgh  has  demonstrated  the  usefulness  of 
the  scientific  method  when  applied  not  only  in  the  selection  and 
training  of  salesmen  but  for  the  choosing  of  men  qualified  for  the 
most  important  executive  positions  in  large  industrial  and  busi- 
ness establishments.  A large  number,  possibly  as  many  as  a 
hundred,  of  the  largest  industrial  corporations  of  America  have 
already  (1919)  adopted  in  whole  or  in  part  some  system  of  sci- 
entific mental  tests  for  the  classification  and  grading  of  present 
employees,  the  selection  of  new  employees,  and  the  filling  of 
vacancies  by  promotion.  It  is  the  unanimous  testimony,  when- 
ever a properly  devised  system  of  tests  has  been  applied  in  ac- 
cordance with  scientific  methods  and  without  prejudice,  that  the 
actual  saving  in  time  and  expense  as  well  as  in  the  disorganiza- 
tion resulting  from  a heavy  “labour  turnover”  has  in  every 


78 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


case  been  highly  profitable  from  the  employer’s  viewpoint,  while 
it  almost  goes  without  saying  that  the  benefit  to  the  employee 
in  being  accurately  placed  in  the  position  in  which  he  is  best 
fitted  by  his  natural  mental  endowment  and  capacity  to  func- 
tion makes  for  individual  contentment  and  satisfaction  and  for 
steadier  and  presumably  higher  earning  power  than  the  old  hit- 
or-miss  method  could  possibly  do. 

Next  to  the  beginner  in  industry  or  business,  the  boy  or  girl 
starting  his  or  her  vocational  career,  the  class  to  which  the 
application  of  scientific  mental  tests  is  of  the  greatest  benefit  to 
employer  and  worker  alike  is  the  large  group  of  unskilled,  un- 
trained workers,  men  and  women  of  no  particular  trade,  the 
“floaters”  and  seasonal  workers,  who  turn  their  hands  to  what- 
ever employment  opportunity  offers  without  developing  especial 
skill  at  any  one  recognized  trade  or  occupation. 

In  our  modern  industrial  system,  a very  considerable  part  of 
the  personnel  of  our  factories,  shops,  and  stores  consists  of  this 
class  of  untrained  workers.  They  try  their  hands  at  many 
things  and  fail  in  most.  They  constitute  the  majority  of  those 
who  respond  to  “Help  Wanted”  advertisements  and  are  willing 
to  try  any  sort  of  work;  their  chief  occupation  in  life  is  hunting 
for  jobs. 

This  need  not  remain  forever  true.  Because  there  is  not  in 
general  use  any  intelligent  or  accurate  method  of  determining 
whether  or  not  any  one  of  these  unskilled,  untrained  workers 
possesses  the  elementary  mental  capacities  requisite  for  a par- 
ticular sort  of  employment,  it  is  not  surprising  that  most  of  them 
fail  to  make  good  in  the  jobs  into  which  they  are  indiscriminately 
shovelled.  Yet  the  great  majority  of  them  do  possess  mental 
capacity  of  a nature  and  degree  which,  once  it  is  ascertained, 
indicates  their  definite  fitness  for  some  particular  sort  of  work 
no  less  than  it  does  their  definite  unfitness  for  many  other  kinds 
of  work  which  they  are  prone  to  undertake. 

Just  as  war  conditions  brought  into  the  Army  an  enormous 
mass  of  young  men  whose  capacity  and  special  abilities  had  to  be 


MENTAL  TESTS  IN  INDUSTRY 


79 


determined  by  scientific  tests  before  they  could  be  assigned  to 
the  places  where  they  could  most  usefully  serve  in  the  military 
scheme  of  things,  so  the  same  exigency  of  war  brought  into  the 
industries  of  the  country,  largely  centred  upon  the  production 
of  munitions  of  war,  millions  of  women  without  industrial  ex- 
perience or  vocational  training  but  upon  whose  efforts  the  nation 
had  mainly  to  rely  for  the  output  of  weapons,  ammunition, 
military  equipment  and  accessories  without  which  the  Army  and 
Navy  could  not  have  functioned.  In  a large  class  of  plants 
engaged  in  munition  production  the  chief  demand  was  for 
sufficient  muscular  strength,  with  a slight  modicum  of  intelli- 
gence, for  the  operation  of  automatic  machinery.  But  in  the 
vitally  important  work  of  inspecting,  testing,  and  sorting  the 
finished  product  of  even  the  most  highly  perfected  automatic 
machines  and  in  many  of  the  more  delicate  operations  of  as- 
sembling and  adjusting  devices  and  apparatus  made  up  of  a 
number  of  more  or  less  complicated  parts,  intelligence  and 
mental  capacity  of  several  different  kinds  and  ranging  up  to 
fairly  high  degrees  were  called  for. 

In  a number  of  the  larger  munitions  establishments  scienti- 
fic mental  tests  were  adopted  for  the  selection  and  assignment  to 
particular  tasks  of  the  women  workers.  Wherever  this  was 
done  it  was  found  that  the  output  was  increased,  a higher  aver- 
age of  quality  maintained,  and  the  labour  turnover  greatly  re- 
duced. 

In  one  of  the  largest  groups  of  munitions  plants  at  Bridgeport, 
Conn.,  there  was  worked  out,  under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Henry 
C.  Link,  a system  of  scientific  mental  tests  which  checked  up  so 
closely  with  the  actual  results  obtained  by  the  most  skilful  work- 
ers that  their  adoption  for  the  examination  of  all  applicants  for 
these  positions  resulted  in  very  definite  time  and  money  savings 
and  increase  in  plant  efficiency. 

Two  types  of  work,  conducted  side  by  side  in  the  same 
room,  were  settled  upon  as  the  most  fruitful  fields  for  the 
first  experiment.  The  work  chosen  was  that  of  inspecting 


80 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


shells  before  they  had  been  loaded,  and  of  gauging  them  for 
head-thickness.  This  work  was  being  done  by  330  girls,  two 
thirds  of  whom  were  engaged  in  inspection  and  one  third  in 
gauging. 

The  work  of  inspecting  shells  was  done  at  a table  constructed 
like  an  upturned,  shallow  box.  Upon  this  table  was  dumped  a 
large  box  of  brass  shells,  not  yet  loaded,  and  all  of  exactly  the 
same  kind.  The  work  of  each  girl  was  to  inspect  these  shells 
and  throw  out  those  that  were  defective.  A girl  would  first 
gather  up  a handful  of  shells,  being  careful  to  have  them  all 
pointing  in  the  same  direction.  Then  she  would  put  both  hands 
around  the  shells  and  turn  them  up  so  as  to  expose  their  insides. 
She  would  then  look  down  into  every  shell  for  dents,  scratches, 
stains,  and  other  very  minute  defects.  When  any  such  defect 
was  discovered  the  shell  was  extracted  from  the  pile  and  thrown 
into  one  of  three  or  four  “scrap”  boxes.  The  entire  handful 
was  then  turned  over  and  the  head  of  every  shell  examined  for 
various  defects.  The  shells  were  then  held  in  a horizontal  posi- 
tion on  the  left  hand  and  allowed  to  roll  from  the  pile  into  the 
right  hand.  Each  shell,  in  rolling,  exposed  its  lateral  surface 
and  was  closely  scrutinized  for  scratches,  dents,  oil  stains,  and 
other  defects.  The  good  ones  were  taken  in  the  right  hand  and 
dropped  into  a pocket  at  the  right  side  of  the  table,  through 
which  they  fell  into  a box  below. 

This  operation  required  good  eyesight  (in  order  to  distinguish 
defects,  which  frequently  were  so  minute  as  to  be  indistinguish- 
able to  all  but  the  best  of  eyes) ; keen  visual  discrimination  (the 
ability  to  determine,  with  a few  glances,  which  shells  were 
defective);  quick  reaction  (ability  to  extract,  as  quickly  as 
seen,  the  defective  shell  and  toss  it  into  the  appropriate  box) ; 
accuracy  of  movement  (ability  to  pick  out  the  right  shell 
from  a closely  held  handful);  steadiness  of  attention  (ability 
to  prevent  bad  shells  from  slipping  by  or  unduly  lengthening 
the  operation). 

A set  of  eight  tests  was  selected  for  the  body  of  the  experiment. 


MENTAL  TESTS  IN  INDUSTRY 


81 


The  first  was  a simple  eyesight  test.  The  second  was  a card- 
sorting  test.  The  subject  was  given  a pack  of  49  cards,  upon 
the  face  of  each  one  of  which  from  7 to  12  letters  were  distributed 
promiscuously.  Twenty  of  the  cards  contained  the  letter  “O” 
and  the  rest  did  not.  The  subject  was  asked  to  sort  these  into 
two  piles,  those  which  had  “O”  on  them  and  those  which  had 
not.  The  time  required  for  this  performance  was  taken  and 
the  number  of  errors  recorded.  The  object  of  the  test  was  to 
bring  out  the  subject’s  ability  to  pick  out  the  essential  element 
from  a more  or  less  heterogeneous  collection  of  elements,  and  also, 
in  some  measure,  to  bring  out  the  deftness  of  the  subject  in  hand- 
ling cards. 

The  third  test  was  a cancellation  test.  The  subject  was  re- 
quested to  cross  out,  with  a pencil,  every  7.  The  fourth  was 
a simple  “ Easy  Directions  ” test.  The  fifth  was  a number-check- 
ing test,  in  which  the  subject  was  asked  to  place  a check  op- 
posite every  group  which  contained  both  a 7 and  a 1.  The 
sixth  test  was  a tapping  test,  in  which  the  subject  was  required 
to  push  down,  as  rapidly  as  possible,  a telegraph  key  to  which 
was  attached  a counter.  The  number  of  recorded  thrusts  over 
a period  of  one  minute  constituted  a record  for  that  performance. 
The  seventh  test  was  an  accuracy  test.  This  was  given  with 
the  aid  of  a brass  plate  with  nine  holes,  graduated  in  size  from 
J inch  to  J inch  in  diameter.  The  subject  was  asked  to  take  a 
brass-pointed  pencil  and  insert  it  into  each  hole,  beginning  with 
the  largest  and  continuing  through  the  smaller  ones,  until  the 
pointer  touched  the  brass  side  of  one  of  them.  The  brass- 
pointed  pencil  was  wired  in  circuit  with  the  brass  plate  contain- 
ing the  holes  so  that,  whenever  the  brass  point  touched  the  side 
of  the  hole  or  any  part  of  the  brass  plate,  an  electric  contact 
was  made  which  produced  a click  in  a telephone  receiver  which 
the  subject  held  to  her  ear.  At  the  start  of  the  test,  the  subject 
was  instructed  to  put  the  brass  pencil  into  each  hole  in  succes- 
sion until  she  heard  a click  in  her  ear,  when  she  was  to  start  all 
over  again.  The  speed  of  the  subject’s  movements  was  control- 


82 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


led  by  a metronome,  so  as  to  allow  thirty  trials  per  minute. 
This  test  occupied  from  two  to  three  minutes. 

The  eighth  test  was  a steadiness  test.  This  consisted  of  two 
brass  bars  about  twelve  inches  long,  set  so  as  to  form  a long,  hori- 
zontal V.  The  subject  was  asked  to  take  the  brass  pointer  and 
pass  it  along  between  these  two  bars.  The  farther  she  went, 
the  narrower  became  the  space  between  the  bars.  As  soon 
as  the  brass  pointer  touched  one  of  the  bars  it  produced  a click 
in  the  telephone  receiver.  The  point  at  which  this  brass  pointer 
touched  was  then  read  on  a scale  on  the  lower  bar.  Each  sub- 
ject was  given  fifteen  trials  and  the  last  ten  were  averaged  and 
constituted  the  subject’s  average. 

These  eight  tests  were  given  to  seventy-three  girls,  fifty-two 
of  whom  were  inspectors  and  twenty-one  gaugers.  The  scores 
in  the  tests  were  compared  with  the  average  daily  work  of  the 
girls.  This  average  was  obtained  by  recording  the  number 
of  pounds  of  shells  inspected  by  the  girls  and  the  number  of 
hours  required  for  the  work.  It  was  found  that  the  inspectors 
who  inspected  the  largest  number  of  shells  in  a given  time  at- 
tained the  largest  scores  in  the  tests,  thereby  indicating  the  value 
of  the  tests  in  determining  whether  an  applicant  for  work  as  an 
inspector  had  the  mental  capacity  for  the  work. 

The  same  tests  were  given  to  the  twenty-one  girls  engaged 
in  gauging  the  head-thickness  of  shells.  This  work  does  not 
require  the  use  of  the  eyes.  The  operator  simply  picks  up  a 
handful  of  shells  and,  with  or  without  looking,  tries  the  head  of 
each  shell  on  a gauge.  The  gauge  is  a piece  of  steel  with  two 
notches  or  openings.  The  shells  which  are  too  small  pass 
through  the  first  opening  and  fall  into  a box  of  rejects  below. 
Those  that  do  not  fall  through  are  tried  on  the  second  opening 
and,  if  they  pass  through,  they  are  of  the  right  size.  If  they 
fail  to  pass  through  they  are  too  large  and  are  thrown  aside. 
The  operator  sits  in  front  of  her  gauge  and  tries  each  shell  at 
one  opening  and  then  another,  just  as  rapidly  as  she  can  move 
her  hands  up  and  down. 


MENTAL  TESTS  IN  INDUSTRY  83 

The  tests  showed,  in  this  instance,  an  entirely  different  set 
of  correlations.  The  comparative  correlation  scores  follow: 


Card  Sorting  .... 

Tapping 

Cancellation  . . . . 

General  Intelligence  . 
Number  Group  Checking 


TESTS 


INSPECTORS 


55 

14 

63 

14 

72 


GAUGERS 


.05 
.52 
.17 
.18 
— .19 


Perfect  agreement  between  average  daily  work  and  score  in 
the  test  would  be  indicated  by  a correlation  score  of  1.00,  while 
lack  of  relationship  would  be  indicated  by  a correlation  of  0 or 
nearly  0. 

The  score  of  the  gaugers  in  the  tapping  test  (.52)  showed  that 
they  were  speedier  and  had  greater  endurance.  This  seems  rea- 
sonable since,  in  the  operation  of  gauging,  speed  of  movement 
and  endurance  are  the  chief  factors.  In  the  visual  discrimina- 
tion tests,  such  as  card  sorting,  cancellation,  and  number 
group  checking,  the  scores  of  the  inspectors  were  higher.  This 
quality,  however,  was  not  necessary  to  successful  operation  in 
gauging. 

In  other  operations  the  results  of  these  tests  proved  their  value 
as  a factor  in  eliminating  blunders  in  the  employment  office. 
Girls  who  seemed,  from  observation,  to  possess  the  very  quali- 
ties necessary  for  one  or  another  operation,  frequently  puzzled 
their  superiors  by  their  failure  to  perform  some  highly  important 
operation  of  their  work.  The  eight  tests  would  have  demon- 
strated this  particular  inability  and  would  have  saved  thousands 
of  dollars  lost  through  delay  and  mistakes.  Similar  results  were 
obtained  in  experiments  with  men  workers. 

In  almost  every  industrial  enterprise,  clerical  work  of  some 
kind  or  another  is  necessary,  and  a problem  of  universal  interest 
has  developed  around  the  selection  of  clerks.  The  time  re- 
quired to  “break  in  ” new  employees  runs  from  two  weeks  to  two 
months,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  routine,  and  this  process 


84 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


invariably  is  very  expensive.  By  means  of  standardized  mental 
tests  the  whole  process  may  be  greatly  simplified. 

In  an  experiment  recently  reported  tests  were  given  to  fifty- 
two  men  and  women  engaged  in  clerical  and  near-clerical  work. 
An  aggregate  number  of  440  tests  was  given.  The  manager 
of  the  department  had  made  a study  of  these  people  and  had 
attempted  to  rate  them  as  to  their  actual  ability. 

The  tests  were  classified  under  the  head  of  tests  for  technique 
and  tests  for  intelligence.  By  technique  is  meant  the  speed  and 
accuracy  shown  by  clerks  in  sorting  tickets  and  papers,  posting 
and  adding  columns  of  figures,  indexing  and  filing,  and  in  other 
routine  clerical  operations.  The  term  intelligence  is  interpreted 
to  designate  the  facility  and  success  with  which  a clerk  could 
master  new  tasks  and  follow  directions  about  new  work  assigned 
from  time  to  time.  The  clerk’s  technique  was  indicated  by  steadi- 
ness, arithmetic,  card-sorting,  and  substitution-of -letters  tests. 
The  intelligence  tests  included  a “hard-directions”  test  and  an 
“abstract-relations”  test,  similar  to  those  given  in  the  Menti- 
meter  in  this  volume. 

When  all  the  tests  had  been  given  the  results  were  computed 
and  tabulated  so  as  to  bring  out  the  following  points:  (1)  the 
rank  of  each  individual  with  reference  to  all  the  rest;  (2)  the 
relation  of  each  of  four  groups  to  each  other;  (3)  the  relation 
between  technique  and  intelligence.  The  results  were  then 
submitted  to  the  office  head,  who  compared  them  with  his 
records  and  with  his  own  opinion  of  the  relative  merits  of  the 
various  individuals.  This  comparison  showed  a very  marked 
agreement  between  the  testimony  of  the  tests  and  the  rankings 
of  the  office  manager. 

The  results  of  these  tests  so  impressed  the  office  manager  that 
he  decided  to  give  them  to  all  incoming  clerks.  One  of  the  first 
candidates  to  be  examined  was  a young  woman  who  had  recently 
been  interviewed  by  one  of  the  office  heads.  The  candidate 
was  so  unprepossessing  in  appearance  that  in  spite  of  signs 
testifying  to  her  intelligence,  the  office  head  was  in  doubt  as  to 


MENTAL  TESTS  IN  INDUSTRY 


85 


the  advisability  of  hiring  her.  The  psychological  tests  were 
applied.  When  this  was  done  the  young  woman  did  remarkably 
well  in  every  test.  She  was  then  hired,  and  proved  herself  so 
ready  and  capable  that  it  was  decided  to  train  her  for  the  work 
of  an  office  assistant.  In  six  weeks  she  had  mastered  the 
routine  of  four  different  kinds  of  work.  This  was  a striking 
instance  in  which  the  testimony  of  the  tests  belied  the  testimony 
of  observation. 

Although  there  were  certain  inadequacies  in  the  tests  applied, 
as  well  as  in  the  judgments  obtained  from  office  heads,  the  value 
of  the  results  became  more  and  more  clear  with  each  passing 
month.  For  example,  188  clerks  recommended  on  the  basis  of 
the  tests  and  followed  up  at  intervals  of  one  month  for  a period 
of  three  months  were  estimated  as  follows: 

Percentage  of  those  called  good  by  their  superiors 


At  the  end  of  one  month  ^5% 

At  the  end  of  two  months 89% 

At  the  end  of  three  months 92% 


Another  series  of  interesting  experiments  to  determine  the 
mental  capacity  of  workers  in  industry  was  directed  at  stenogra- 
phers, typists,  and  comp  tome  trists.  The  work  of  these  kinds  of 
workers  has  been  specialized  by  the  use  of  a standard  machine, 
and  in  applying  tests  to  this  kind  of  work  it  was  necessary, 
therefore,  to  take  into  consideration  two  important  factors: 
first,  the  skill  already  acquired  by  the  workers  at  a certain 
machine;  second,  the  aptitude  which  the  worker  possessed  for 
improvement  in  the  use  of  the  machine. 

Relevant  tests  were  given  to  two  senior  classes  of  more  than 
three  hundred  girls  and  boys  in  a commercial  high  school,  to 
seventy-six  pupils  in  two  business  schools,  to  a group  of  twenty- 
two  office  typists,  to  another  group  of  nineteen  stenographers, 
to  over  four  hundred  candidates  for  positions  as  typists  and 
stenographers,  to  three  groups  of  more  than  one  hundred  and 
forty  comptometrists;  and  finally,  to  more  than  one  hundred 
and  twenty  candidates  for  comptometry.  More  than  one 


86  MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 

thousand  persons  were  tested  and  more  than  five  thousand  tests 
were  given. 

Tests  for  typists  included  copying,  spelling,  substitution,  and 
the  Trabue  Completion  test.  In  the  copying  and  spelling  tests, 
office  forms  were  used.  A number  of  words,  purposely  mis- 
spelled in  characteristic  fashion,  were  mingled  with  words 
correctly  spelled,  and  the  applicant  was  asked  to  check  off  those 
incorrectly  spelled.  It  was  discovered,  in  the  substitution  test, 
that  if  an  applicant  without  much  previous  experience  in  typing 
does  very  well  in  the  test,  the  indication  is  that  she  has  the 
necessary  aptitude  or  potential  ability  to  become  a good  typist 
with  practice.  The  success  of  the  applicant  in  the  Trabue 
Completion  test  indicated  his  or  her  ability  to  complete  sentences 
parts  of  which  are  missing.  The  ability  to  do  this  is  a great 
advantage  to  the  typist  and  one  which  will  increase  her 
capacity. 

The  Trabue  Completion  test  also  proved  valuable  in  deter- 
mining the  ability  of  stenographers.  The  most  important  test 
probably,  for  a stenographer,  is  of  her  ability  to  take  and  tran- 
scribe dictation.  Tests  were  given  as  nearly  as  possible  at  the 
speed  which  was  best  adapted  to  the  applicant’s  ability.  The 
results  were  then  graded  on  the  basis  of  the  total  time  consumed 
and  the  amount  of  work  done  correctly. 

In  experiments  for  determining  the  ability  of  computing- 
machine  operators  various  tests  were  used.  One  of  the  most 
important  was  a mental-arithmetic  test.  This  was  designed  to 
determine  the  applicant’s  fundamental  knowledge  of  arithmetic. 
Another  was  a numerical  substitution  test.  In  each  of  the 
tests  conducted  the  scores  of  the  applicants  were  compared  with 
the  rankings  made  previously  by  department  heads,  and  in  most 
instances  there  was  an  agreement  of  sufficient  approximation  to 
indicate  the  value  of  the  tests. 

Although  still  in  its  infancy,  as  it  were,  so  far  as  its  practical 
application  in  industry  goes,  the  scientific  method  of  mental 
measurement,  wherever  and  whenever  applied  in  accordance 


MENTAL  TESTS  IN  INDUSTRY 


87 


with  true  psychological  principles  and  by  standards  and  methods 
devised  by  trained  psychologists,  has  so  completely  demon- 
strated its  economic  value  and  social  usefulness  that  its  general 
adoption,  as  these  facts  become  more  generally  known,  seems 
inevitable. 


CHAPTER  IX 

HOW  TO  USE  THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 

The  Mentimeter  tests  differ  from  the  Alpha  tests,  or  from 
the  Beta  test  of  the  United  States  Army,  from  the  Otis  test, 
or  from  any  other  system  of  tests  now  available,  chiefly  in  their 
flexibility.  Rather  than  present  to  the  public  a certain  flxed 
and  invariable  group  of  eight  or  ten  tests  which  are  to  be  used 
wherever  a measure  of  general  intelligence  is  to  be  employed, 
as  has  been  done  in  other  cases,  the  present  authors  have  chosen 
to  present  a wide  variety  of  tests  from  which  each  reader 
may  select  those  for  his  use  which  actually  give  the  best 
results. 

It  is  not  probable  that  exactly  the  same  tests  would  select  men 
of  high  intelligence  in  the  graduate  work  of  a university  as  would 
be  needed  to  select  the  intelligent  men  in  a logging  camp  in 
the  wilds  of  Canada  or  our  own  Northwest.  The  present  au- 
thors do  not  profess  to  know  just  how  much  of  each  mental 
trait  is  required  to  make  up  a perfect  superior  intelligence,  and 
for  that  reason  they  have  not  attempted  to  propose  any  single 
group  of  tests  as  the  best  measure  of  intelligence.  The  reader 
is  asked  to  “try  out”  such  tests  in  the  Mentimeter  series  as  seem 
to  him  to  offer  greatest  promise  of  usefulness,  and  then  to  make 
up  his  own  “team  of  tests”  in  such  manner  as  will  best  reveal 
the  kind  of  intelligence  in  which  he  is  interested. 

For  the  benefit  of  those  who  wish  some  suggestions  as  to  the 
tests  which  would  probably  be  most  useful  in  the  main  lines  of 
work  to  which  intelligence  tests  may  be  applied,  the  authors 
here  propose  certain  tentative  or  suggestive  lists  which  would 
seem  to  them  to  offer  great  promise  of  successful  use.  For  the 
88 


HOW  TO  USE  THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  89 


classification  of  clerical  workers  in  business  and  industry,  the 
following  tests  should  at  least  be  given  thorough  trial: 


MENTIMETER 

NO.  TITLE 

6.  Completion  of  Form  Series 

7.  Checking  Identity  of  Numbers 

8.  Digit-Symbol  Substitution 

9.  Completion  of  Number  Relation  Series 


MENTIMETER 

NO.  TITLE 

16.  N aming  Opposites 

23.  Completion  of  Sentences 

24 . Analogies 

28 . Arithmetic  Reasoning 


It  is  possible,  of  course,  that  some  employer  who  makes  the 
trial  will  find  a half  dozen  other  tests  that  show  more  accurate 
results  in  classifying  clerical  workers  than  will  be  shown  by  any 
test  in  the  above  list,  but  such  a thing  will  probably  not  happen, 
for  the  type  of  test  which  has  been  useful  in  similar  situations 
will  probably  prove  useful  again.  If  such  a thing  did  happen, 
however,  the  employer  would  be  foolish  and  unscientific  to 
retain  the  list  suggested  above  when  he  knew  of  a better 
list. 

In  the  classification  of  the  intelligence  of  labourers,  the  au- 
thors would  suggest  that  the  following  tests  be  given  fair  trial: 


MENTIMETER 

NO.  TITLE 

2.  Pictorial  Absurdities 

3 . Maze  Threading 

5 . Dividing  Geometric  Figmes 

6.  Completion  of  Form  Series 


MENTIMETER 

NO.  TITLE 

9.  Completion  of  Number  Relation  Series 
18.  Range  of  Information 

28.  Arithmetic  Reasoning 

29.  Practical  Judgment 


For  classifying  public  school  pupils  according  to  their  general 
intellectual  power  and  ability  to  learn,  the  authors  propose  that 
the  following  tests  be  employed  until  a different  selection  has 
been  proved  to  be  superior: 


MENTIMETER 

NO.  TITLE 

2.  Pictorial  Absurdities 

3 . Maze  Threading 

8.  Digit-Symbol  Substitution 

16.  Naming  Opposites 


MENTIMETER 

NO.  TITLE 

20.  Reading  Directions 
23 . Completion  of  Sentences 

28 . Arithmetic  Reasoning 

29.  Practical  Judgment 


90 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


As  being  more  strictly  education  tests  rather  than  tests  of 
intelligence  the  reader’s  attention  is  invited  to  the  following  list : 


MENTQIETEB 

NO.  TITLE 

10 . Addition 
17.  Spelling 
19.  Reading:  Vocabulary 

21 . Reading:  Interpretation 


MENTIMETEB 

NO.  TITLE 

25 . Handwriting 

26 . English  Composition 

27.  Poetic  Discrimination 

28.  Arithmetic  Reasoning 


The  most  profitable  list  from  the  point  of  view  of  social  enter- 
tainment would  seem  to  be  the  following: 


MENTIMETEB 

NO.  TITLE 

2 . Pictorial  Absurdities 

3.  Maze  Threading 

5 . Geometrical  Figures 

6 . Completion  of  Form  Series 
18.  Range  of  Information 

20 . Reading  Directions 


MENTIMETEB 

NO.  TITLE 

22 . Disarranged  Sentences 

23.  Sentence  Completion 

24 . Analogies 

27.  Poetic  Discrimination 

29.  Practical  Judgment 

30.  Logical  Conclusions 


Whatever  the  purpose  for  which  the  tests  are  to  be  used,  the 
best  results  can  be  obtained  only  by  securing  from  the  original 
publishers  the  carefully  printed  forms  prepared  by  the  authors  of 
the  tests.  Mimeographed  copies  of  test  blanks  or  privately 
printed  blanks  are  certain  to  differ  so  much  from  the  true  form 
that  the  results  obtained  therewith  cannot  be  directly  compared 
with  the  official  results. 

Long  experience  has  likewise  demonstrated,  fairly  clearly, 
that  the  best  results  will  be  obtained  in  any  industrial  organiza- 
tion or  educational  staff  by  making  one  person  chiefly  responsible 
for  the  proper  administration  of  the  intellectual  and  educa- 
tional measurements.  If  a personnel  director  is  at  hand  who  can 
study  his  tests  just  as  scientifically  as  he  studies  his  men,  prog- 
ress and  improvement  in  the  methods  and  results  are  inevita- 
ble. 

Measurements  of  intelligence  are  by  no  means  the  only  or  final 
criteria  by  which  the  successful  personnel  manager  wins  success 


HOW  TO  USE  THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  91 


in  his  work  and  saves  money  for  his  employers.  He  makes 
use  of  every  piece  of  information  about  his  men  that  it  is  possible 
for  him  to  pick  up  anywhere.  The  trade  tests  particularly 
offer  a wide  field  in  which  measurements  of  intelligence  may  be 
supplemented  and  made  more  useful.  Of  two  men  who  are 
to-day  working  in  the  same  trade,  receiving  the  same  wages  and 
making  the  same  score  on  their  trade  tests,  that  one  is  more  prom- 
ising who  has  the  higher  intelligence  score.  On  the  other  hand, 
of  two  equally  intelligent  men,  as  measured  by  the  intelligence 
tests,  that  one  who  has  attained  within  a given  time  the  higher 
proficiency  in  his  trade  is  superior. 

The  chief  value  of  the  group  intelligence  tests  will  probably 
always  be  in  the  classification  of  large  groups  of  persons  into 
smaller,  well-defined  groups,  the  members  of  which  groups  may 
then  be  studied  more  carefully  and  by  more  exact  methods  in 
the  hands  of  a trained  psychologist,  if  necessary.  Until  the 
group  method  of  examination  was  developed,  making  it  possible 
to  test  the  intellectual  ability  of  every  employee  without  tremen- 
dous expense  in  time  and  money,  it  would  have  been  most 
foolish  to  talk  about  maintaining  a continuous  inventory  of  the 
mental  strength  of  an  organization,  and  yet  such  an  inventory  is 
now  possible — just  as  possible  as  the  record  of  the  condition 
and  capacity  of  each  machine  owned  by  the  company. 

Prospective  users  of  the  Mentimeters  need  to  bear  in  mind 
that  mental  powers  are  far  less  constant  in  their  amounts  than 
are  the  dimensions  and  measurements  of  a piece  of  steel  or 
lumber.  Even  the  length  of  a steel  rail  varies  between  winter 
and  summer,  but  the  variation  that  occurs  in  the  strength  of 
mental  connections  from  day  to  day  or  from  hour  to  hour  is  very 
much  greater  than  the  variations  of  the  steel  rail.  Except  by 
chance  one  would  not  obtain  exactly  the  same  score  a second 
time  in  taking  a Mentimeter  test,  or  any  other  test  of  mental 
ability.  Being  for  the  most  part  constructed  on  the  “increas- 
ing difficulty”  plan,  however,  the  Mentimeters  will  prove  much 
less  influenced  by  recency  of  drill  and  nearness  to  the  lunch  hour 


92 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


than  will  most  other  tests,  especially  less  than  those  speed  tests 
which  measure  how  many  simple  tasks  one  can  do  within  a given 
time  limit.  The  Mentimeter  ideal  is  to  test  power  rather  than 
speed. 

No  single  set  of  tests  should  be  used  as  final  and  conclusive 
in  the  public  schools  with  regard  to  the  kind  of  work  which  a 
given  boy  or  girl  should  undertake.  The  Mentimeter  tests 
may  be  used  as  a first  “drag-net,”  but  those  caught  in  this  net 
should  then  be  carefully  studied  by  the  most  refined  methods 
known  to  psychologists  before  being  recommended  for  particular 
types  of  special  instruction  or  sent  to  special  schools.  One  of 
the  most  hopeful  signs  in  the  entire  educational  field  is  the  num- 
ber of  cities  that  are  employing  psychologists  to  follow  up  the 
results  of  group  examinations  in  the  schools.  Many  of  the 
state  universities  have  established  bureaus  to  serve  the  local 
communities*  in  such  matters.  The  very  finest  measurements 
are  of  no  avail  unless  something  is  done  about  the  results  dis- 
closed. 

For  each  of  the  Mentimeter  tests,  the  authors  have  classified 
the  possible  scores  into  five  general  groups:  Superior,  High 
Average,  Average,  Low  Average,  and  Inferior.  This  classifica- 
tion is  very  rough  and  should  not  be  wrongly  interpreted.  An 
individual  who  is  tested  with  three  or  four  or  more  of  the  Menti- 
meter tests  should  not  be  expected  to  receive  the  same  classifica- 
tion in  each  test.  In  the  Handwriting  test,  for  example,  a 
person  might  well  be  expected  to  make  a rating  of  “Superior” 
in  quality  of  writing  while  making  only  “Low  Average”  in 
speed  of  writing.  The  same  person  might  well  make  a score 
on  the  test  of  Poetic  Discrimination  which  would  classify  him 
as  “Inferior.”  Although  there  is  a tendency  for  people  who 
are  superior  in  one  line  to  have  high  abilities  in  other  lines,  it 


*There  has  recently  been  established  in  Teachers  College,  Columbia  University,  New  York  City,, 
a Bureau  of  Educational  Service,  the  Director  of  which  would  be  glad  to  answer  questions  or  advise 
with  any  one  interested  in  measuring  intelligence  or  educational  results,  regardless  of  the  state  or 
community  in  which  one  may  live. 


HOW  TO  USE  THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  93 


is  only  a general  tendency,  which  will  not  hold  good  in  all  cases 
and  with  regard  to  all  varieties  of  ability. 

For  the  most  accurate  scientific  work  the  reader  will  probably 
disregard  entirely  the  fivefold  classification  of  scores  mentioned 
above.  The  finer  distinctions  made  by  the  numerical  scores 
will  be  studied,  and  interpretations  will  be  made  for  the  specific 
purposes  of  the  examiner.  It  is  probable,  for  example,  that 
comparatively  few  children  at  the  age  of  eight  years  would  be 
classified  as  being  better  than  “Inferior,”  if  these  rough  general 
classifications  were  to  be  the  only  record  kept  of  performance 
on  these  tests.  On  the  other  hand,  very  few  clerical  workers 
of  proved  ability  and  success  would  make  a classification  as  low 
as  “Average,”  except  possibly  in  a few  specialized-ability  tests. 
The  important  point  to  be  considered  by  the  teacher  of  a second- 
grade  class,  or  by  an  employer  of  clerical  workers,  or  by  any 
other  person  who  wishes  to  make  serious  use  of  these  tests,  is 
the  relation  of  the  scores  in  the  test  to  the  relative  abilities  of  the 
persons  in  the  special  group  tested.  The  tentative  classification 
of  scores  made  at  the  end  of  each  section  of  the  chapter  which 
follows  this  is  for  human  beings  in  general  and  will  not  fit  well 
any  specialized  group  of  persons. 

In  order  to  assist  readers  who  have  no  statistical  training  in 
the  evaluation  for  their  special  purposes  of  any  particular  Men- 
timeter  test,  a few  pages  will  be  devoted  to  an  elementary  state- 
ment of  how  to  try  out  scientifically  the  relationship  between 
a test,  on  the  one  hand,  and  demonstrated  ability  in  any  special 
line  of  endeavour,  on  the  other.  It  may  be  stated  here  again 
that  not  all  traits  of  mind  are  important  in  every  task  that  must 
be  done  in  life.  Some  positions  require  only  a little  intellectual 
ability  while  others  require  a great  deal,  and  some  tasks  require 
very  great  development  of  a few  traits  which  may  be  very  little 
called  for  in  other  equally  important  tasks.  The  authors  have 
used  their  best  judgment  as  to  which  tests  will  probably  select 
the  type  of  persons  needed  in  a certain  type  of  position,  but  the 
judgments  of  other  equally  experienced  men  would  be  just  as 


94 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


good.  The  final  proof  of  reliability  in  a test  can  come  only  by 
actual  trial  of  that  test  upon  men  of  various  degrees  of  demon- 
strated ability  in  the  trade  or  profession  concerned.  What 
follows  is  a statement  of  how  to  measure  this  correspondence 
between  demonstrated  degree  of  success  and  score  in  a test,  or 
between  the  scores  of  the  same  persons  in  two  or  more  different 
tests. 

No  measure  of  relationship  between  success  in  life  and  success 
in  a test  can  be  any  niore  accurate  than  the  original  measures 
of  success  from  which  the  calculation  is  made.  If  the  measures 
of  success  in  life  are  unreliable,  then  the  measure  of  their  re- 
lationship to  success  in  a test  will  be  even  more  unreliable.  The 
more  definite  and  certain  one  can  be  of  his  measures  of  success, 
the  more  reliable  will  his  measure  of  relationship  be. 

In  productive  labour,  especially  where  payment  is  based  upon 
the  number  of  standard  articles  produced  in  a day,  or  upon  the 
number  of  standard  operations  performed  in  a given  time,  the 
records  of  actual  performance  are  probably  the  best  measures 
of  success  available  as  a standard  against  which  to  judge  the 
reliability  of  a test.  The  record  for  one  day  or  for  one  week 
would  be  less  reliable  usually  than  the  record  for  a month  or  a 
longer  period. 

In  many  business  organizations  and  industries  there  is  no 
such  satisfactory  standard  of  success  as  individual  production 
records,  and  in  such  cases  it  is  necessary  to  make  use  of  the 
judgments  of  foremen,  supervisors,  or  superintendents.  These 
are  far  less  satisfactory  records  of  efficiency  and  are  subject 
to  gross  errors  and  prejudices,  but  they  are  the  only  available 
measures  of  many  workers.  If  the  rating  as  to  ability  is  the 
consensus  of  the  judgments  of  two  or  more  supervisors,  each 
making  his  rating  without  any  reference  to  that  made  by  any 
other  person,  the  result  is  much  more  reliable  than  the  rating 
of  any  single  supervisor  would  be. 

Very  grave  errors  creep  into  a rating  of  efficieney  where  the 
ratings  are  made  by  different  supervisors,  each  supervisor  rating 


HOW  TO  USE  THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  95 


only  a few  men.  Even  where  a detailed  schedule  of  qualities  is 
listed,  each  to  be  given  a definite  weight  or  importance  in  making 
up  the  total  rating,  as  in  the  Army  Rating  Scale,  the  degree  of 
ability  which  one  man’s  experience  leads  him  to  call  “Average” 
will  call  forth  a rating  of  “Superior”  from  another  equally  able 
supervisor  whose  experience  has  been  with  slightly  different 
people.  If  individuals  A,  B,  and  C are  rated  by  the  first  super- 
visor and  individuals  D,  E,  and  F by  the  second,  it  is  not  at  all 
safe  to  assume  that  C is  rated  fairly  in  relation  to  D.  Only 
when  two  individuals  are  rated  by  the  same  supervisors  upon  the 
same  scale  and  under  the  same  conditions  is  it  legitimate  or  safe 
to  assume  that  their  relative  abilities  are  well  indicated  by  the 
ratings. 

Assuming  that  the  reader  has  obtained  a reliable  order  of 
merit  for  the  individuals  he  is  using  as  a check  upon  the  value  of 
the  Mentimeter  tests,  no  test  should  be  considered  useful  which 
does  not  result  in  approximately  this  same  order  of  merit.  The 
tests  are,  of  course,  so  short  and  so  crude  that  it  is  not  to  be 
expected  that  any  test  will,  except  by  chance,  show  exactly  the 
same  order  of  ability  as  the  production  records  or  supervisor’s 
ratings  furnish,  but  some  tests  will  show  much  closer  corres- 
pondence than  others.  Those  tests  which  correspond  most 
closely  should  be  employed,  while  those  tests  which  do  not 
correspond  at  all  should  not  be  employed,  regardless  of  any 
statement  of  the  authors  or  any  preconceived  ideas  of  the 
reader  as  to  what  tests  ought  to  foretell  ability  in  any  particular 
line  of  work.  The  proof  of  a test  or  of  any  method  of  prognosti- 
cation lies  in  the  degree  to  which  it  actually  arranges  people  in 
the  order  of  their  relative  efficiency  in  the  tasks  for  which  one 
seeks  to  foretell  success. 

A mere  glance  at  a record  such  as  that  shown  below  for 
twenty-eight  sixth-grade  pupils  would  show  that  there  was  a 
real  relationship  between  the  scholarship  marks,  the  teacher’s 
estimate  of  intelligence,  and  the  results  of  educational  measure- 
ments taken  by  an  outsider. 


96 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


SCORES  AND  RATINGS  OF  SIXTH  GRADE  CLASS 


NAME  OP  PUPIL 

EDUCATIONAL  MEAS- 
UREMENTS SCORE 

(no.  of  errors) 

teacher’s  ranking 

OF  INTELLIGENCE 

(i  IS  brightest) 

SUMMARY  OF 

teacher’s  marks 

IN  SCHOLARSHIP 

Adelaide 

36. 

19 

85 

Ruth 

16.5 

15 

90 

Alexander 

25.5 

7 

93 

LaMonte 

46.5 

6 

93 

Earl 

76.5 

18 

77 

Joseph 

20.5 

20 

85 

Amadeo 

75. 

14 

85 

Leo 

48. 

3 

93 

William 

53.5 

9 

82 

Isabel 

25. 

21 

76 

Ida 

36.5 

4 

94 

Hazel 

15. 

10 

90 

Frederick 

65. 

26 

86 

Charles 

58.5  «, 

13 

85  • 

Edward 

30. 

1 

95 

Benjamin 

62.5 

24 

76 

Bruce 

56. 

22 

87 

Alden 

55. 

12 

87 

George 

60.5 

17 

87 

Alice 

29. 

11 

88 

Almira 

15.5 

5 

96 

Helen 

16.5 

2 

90 

Elizabeth 

65.5 

23 

75 

Amelia 

24.5 

8 

92 

Edwin 

19. 

16 

89 

Robert 

67. 

28 

71 

Edna 

47. 

27 

78 

Samuel 

72. 

25 

80 

The  things  which  are  not  so  evident  at  a glance  are  the  de- 
grees of  relationship  between  these  three  types  of  measures. 
Is  the  relation  of  educational  measurements  to  the  teacher’s 
estimates  greater  than  the  relation  of  the  measurements  to  the 
marks  in  scholarship  given  by  the  teacher?  In  order  to  measure 
precisely  the  relative  degrees  of  correspondence  between  various 
measures  and  estimates  of  the  abilities  of  individuals,  it  is  quite 
evident  that  something  more  accurate  and  exact  than  mere  in- 
spection is  necessary. 

For  an  explanation  of  the  method  by  which  the  exact  relation- 
ship may  be  worked  out  mathematically  between  the  results  of  a 
test  and  the  true  abilities  of  the  individuals  tested,  the  reader  is 


HOW  TO  USE  THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  97 


referred  to  pages  326-331  in  the  appendix.  The  discussion 
which  will  be  found  there  of  the  method  of  calculating  a co- 
eiScient  of  coordination  will  not  be  diflScult  to  understand  nor 
will  the  method  be  difficult  of  application  for  any  one  who  wishes 
to  measure  the  exact  reliability  of  any  of  the  Mentimeter  tests  or 
of  any  other  test.  For  many  purposes  such  a record  as  is  shown 
on  the  preceding  page,  giving  the  score  of  the  individual  in  each 
test  used,  will  reveal  the  essential  facts  regarding  the  correspond- 
ence between  test  results  and  demonstrated  ability.  The  reader 
should  be  cautious,  however,  about  accepting  a conclusion  drawn 
from  casual  observation  of  such  a table  as  that  shown  on  the 
preceding  page  without  checking  up  the  accuracy  of  this  conclu- 
sion by  actually  working  out  the  coefficient  of  coordination  ac- 
cording to  the  method  shown  in  the  appendix. 

When  the  reader  has  tried  out,  upon  a fairly  large  group  of 
persons  of  known  ability,  the  Mentimeter  tests  which  seem  to 
him  to  promise  greatest  usefulness,  and  when  he  has  made  his 
calculations  and  discovered  which  tests  actually  do  classify  his 
people  most  accurately,  it  will  then  be  possible  for  him  to  make 
an  intelligent  scientific  selection  of  tests  for  practical  use.  Let 
us  suppose,  for  example,  that  an  employer  wishes  to  have  a set  of 
tests  whereby  he  may  select  intelligent  sales-girls.  By  giving 
the  ten  or  twelve  tests  which  seem  most  hopeful  for  the  purpose 
to  fifty  or  sixty  saleswomen,  who  have  been  in  his  employ  long 
enough  to  demonstrate  their  relative  degrees  of  ability  and 
intelligence,  the  five  or  six  tests  may  be  chosen  whose  results 
show  the  closest  relation  to  their  demonstrated  ability  for  in- 
telligent salesmanship. 

The  results  obtained  by  the  separate  tests  chosen  should  also 
be  compared,  for  two  tests  may  measure  practically  the  same 
mental  trait  and  have  a very  high  coordination  with  each  other. 
In  such  a case,  it  would  seem  almost  a useless  waste  to  retain  in 
the  group  two  tests  which  measured  the  same  phase  of  ability. 
The  one  of  the  pair  which  showed  the  less  close  relationship  to 
the  true  ranking  might  be  dropped  from  the  list  without  much 


98 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


loss  to  the  total  effectiveness  of  the  group  of  tests.  A group  of 
tests  thus  carefully  selected  would  prove  very  helpful  and 
effective  in  the  selection  of  untrained  material  for  training  or 
in  the  classification  of  experienced  employees  according  to  their 
intellectual  qualifications  for  the  type  of  position  held  by 
the  people  on  whom  the  validity  of  the  tests  had  been 
proved. 

The  advantage  of  such  a well-selected  ‘Team”  of  tests  is  not 
so  much  that  it  selects  various  grades  of  ability  more  accurately 
than  supervisors  could  select  it  after  many  months  of  experience 
in  trying  to  train  the  new  material,  but  that  the  tests  make  a 
satisfactory  classification  immediately,  which  saves  the  salaries 
and  time  of  those  applicants  who  would  certainly  fail  in  the 
training  period.  Even  with  the  very  best  coefficients  of  co- 
ordination between  the  tests  and  actual  demonstrated  ability  in 
the  trade  or  position,  the  tests  will  not  be  infallible.  On  the 
other  hand,  no  supervisor’s  judgment  would  be  infallible,  either. 
And  the  supervisor  would  be  much  more  likely  to  errors  through 
personal  likes  and  dislikes  than  the  impersonal  tests  could 
possibly  be. 

The  tests  are  an  invaluable  aid,  when  they  are  themselves 
chosen  with  the  scientific  care  outlined  above,  although  it  would 
be  a short-sighted  policy  for  any  firm  to  trust  entirely  to  the 
results  of  intelligence  tests  in  the  employment  of  its  personnel. 
Appearance,  voice,  education,  manners,  physical  size,  and  many 
other  qualities  are  sometimes  quite  as  important  as  the  degree 
of  intelligence,  and  the  intelligence  tests  do  not  measure  other 
elements  of  personality  than  the  mental  qualities. 

Warning  should  also  be  given  against  using  a particular  set  of 
intelligence  tests,  selected  because  they  show  high  correspon- 
dence with  ability  in  salesmanship,  for  example,  as  a measure  of 
the  intellectual  qualities  of  candidates  for  some  other  position. 
Sets  of  tests,  selected  because  they  have  been  found  accurate  in 
classifying  soldiers  or  school  children  for  instruction,  may  not 
be  of  maximum  usefulness  in  classifying  machinists  or  business 


IL.^ 

HOW  TO  USE  THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  99 

managers.  The  Mentimeter  tests  offer  a wide  variety,  from 
which  it  is  proposed  that  only  those  shall  be  used  which  have 
actually  proved  useful  in  classifying  candidates  for  the  par- 
ticular task  concerned.  There  is  no  reason  to  believe  that  ex- 
actly the  same  type  of  intelligence  is  required  in  all  positions. 

Having  chosen  certain  promising  tests  for  experiment,  having 
proved  the  validity  of  these  tests  by  checking  up  the  relation  of 
their  results  to  the  true  abilities  of  a group  of  old  employees  or 
persons  whose  relative  capacities  are  known  perfectly,  and 
having  selected  those  tests  whose  results  relate  most  directly  to 
intellectual  ability  and  least  directly  to  one  another,  one  may 
begin  to  employ  the  tests  thus  selected  for  the  sorting  and 
classification  of  new  recruits  or  applicants.  The  question 
which  will  at  once  confront  the  reader  who  is  not  experienced  in 
the  employment  of  statistics  of  this  sort  is  “How  shall  the  test 
results  be  recorded  and  interpreted.^” 

The  answer  to  the  question  regarding  test  records  is  that  the 
exact  score  of  each  person  should  be  kept  for  each  test  to  which 
that  person  is  “exposed.”  One  diflSculty  with  the  records  kept 
of  certain  other  group  intelligence  tests  is  that  only  the  final 
total  score  is  retained,  while  all  the  wealth  of  detail  furnished  by 
the  different  tests  included  in  the  series  is  lost.  The  total  score 
on  a series  of  six  or  eight  intelligence  tests  is  worth  keeping,  but 
the  separate  scores  on  each  of  the  six  or  eight  may  prove  to  be 
even  more  illuminating  than  the  total  score.  Two  candidates 
may  make  the  same  total  score  on  a series  of  tests  but  the  one 
may  make  his  points  chiefly  in  memory  tests  with  little  help 
from  the  tests  calling  for  complex  thought,  while  the  other  may 
do  very  poorly  in  the  memory  work  and  very  well  in  the  thought 
tests.  If  only  the  total  score  on  the  series  were  retained,  the 
usefulness  of  the  series  would  be  practically  destroyed  for  many 
purposes. 

For  the  interpretation  of  the  result  recorded  on  any  test,  one 
will  need  to  use  some  short  but  intelligible  scheme  for  stating 
the  true  relation  of  the  score  of  any  individual  to  the  scores  of 


100 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


the  remainder  of  his  group  or  to  the  scores  of  the  other  group  of 
old  employees  used  as  a standard  in  selecting  the  tests  to  be 
regularly  employed.  It  is  not  always  safe  to  say  merely  that 

Mr.  K is  below  the  average  of  his  group.  As  an  extreme  case 

of  how  unjust  this  might  be,  let  us  suppose  that  in  one  of  the 
Mentimeter  tests,  A made  a score  of  0;  B made  a score  of  2;  C,  a 
score  of  1;  D,  2;  E,  3;  F,  0;  G,  10;  H,  2;  1, 3;  J,  9;  and  K,  3.  The 
average  score  of  this  small  group,  obtained  by  adding  the  eleven 

scores  and  dividing  by  11,  is  3.18.  Mr.  K therefore  obtained 

a score  which  was  below  the  average  of  the  group,  even  though 
fewer  than  20  per  cent,  of  his  group  made  better  scores  than  he. 
The  average  score  is  too  much  influenced  hy  extremely  low  or 
extremely  high  scores. 

To  arrive  at  a proper  perspective  for  interpreting  the  score 
of  any  individual,  it  is  necessary  first  of  all  to  have  a distribution 
of  the  scores  made  by  all  the  persons  in  the  group  with  which 
the  individual  is  to  be  compared.  Such  a distribution  should 
show  how  frequently  each  possible  score  was  made.  The  table 
on  the  left  illustrates  the  idea  of  a distribution,  using  as  material 
the  scores  quoted  above  for  eleven  individuals  tested  by  a 
Mentimeter  test.  This  table  shows  that  one  person  had  a score 
of  10,  that  one  other  had  a score  of  9,  and 
that  3 was  the  next  highest  score  made. 
The  mode,  or  most  common  score,  in 
this  distribution  is  a 2 or  a 3,  which 
fact  makes  K’s  score  of  3 appear  as 
quite  typical  of  his  group.  The  modal 
or  most  frequent  score  is  a really  useful 
score  with  which  to  compare  the  record 
of  any  individual,  although  it  is  not  as 
safe  a measure  of  the  central  tendency 
of  a distribution  as  is  the  median  score. 

The  median  score  of  a distribution  is  the  middle  score,  than 
which  there  are  just  as  many  larger  as  smaller.  The  median 
score  is  found  by  beginning  at  one  end  of  a distribution  and 


DISTRIBUTION 


FREQUENCY 


HOW  TO  USE  THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  101 


counting  through  half  of  the  frequencies.  To  count  through 
half  of  the  eleven  frequencies  in  the  above  distribution  would 
bring  us  into  the  midst  of  the  three  who  had  scores  of  2,  and 
therefore  2 is  the  median  score  with  which  K’s  score,  or  the  score 
of  any  other  individual,  should  be  compared. 

The  reader  who  is  mathematically  inclined  may  wish  to  find 
the  median  point  in  the  distribution,  the  point  which  bisects 
the  distribution.  To  find  this,  one  needs  to  study  his  facts 
carefully  and  make  such  assumptions  as  seem  most  probable  for 
the  facts  which  are  not  perfectly  apparent.  For  example,  of  the 
three  persons  who  scored  2 points,  one  individual  may  have  had 
the  third  problem  thought  out  and  have  been  in  the  very  act 
of  writing  the  correct  answer  to  it  when  the  time  was  up,  while 
another  may  have  just  finished  problem  two  without  having 
begun  to  read  the  third  problem,  and  the  third  person  may  have 
been  right  in  the  middle  of  his  thought  about  problem  three. 
Not  knowing  what  the  exact  truth  is,  we  may  assume  that  of 
the  three  who  had  a score  of  2,  one’s  true  score  was  between  2 
and  2.33,  another’s  was  between  2.33  and  2.66  and  that  the 
third’s  was  between  2.67  and  3.00. 

If  we  count  out  the  five  who  scored  3 or  higher,  we  shall  still 
require  half  of  the  distance  represented  by  the  next  highest  in- 
dividual in  order  to  have  counted  out  5.5  (half  of  11).  If  our 
assumption  is  true,  then,  we  shall  need  to  count  half  way  down 
from  3.00  to  2.67  in  order  to  find  the  median  point,  2.83.  The 
calculation  of  the  median  point  is  not  necessary,  however,  unless 
there  is  a very  large  number  of  cases  in  the  distribution  and 
unless  very  accurate  comparisons  must  be  made.  In  passing  it 
may  be  said  that  the  calculation  of  the  median  point  at  2.83  is 
just  as  sensible  and  just  as  accurate  as  the  calculation  of  the 
average  point  at  3.18,  and  that  the  median  point  is  a much  more 
useful  measure  of  the  distribution  than  the  more  commonly 
used  average. 

The  user  of  the  Mentimeter  tests  will  not,  under  ordinary  cir- 
cumstances, be  satisfied  with  interpreting  an  individual’s  score 


102 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


merely  by  indicating  its  direction  from  the  median,  mode  or 
average  of  a group.  It  will  not  usually  be  suflficient  to  say  “He 
made  the  modal  or  most  popular  score,”  or  “His  score  was  lower 
than  the  average,”  or  even  “His  score  was  higher  than  the 
median.”  Some  indication  will  be  desired  as  to  how  much  bet- 
ter or  poorer  a given  score  is  than  the  median,  or  just  what 
percentage  of  the  standard  group  made  better  scores.  An 
illustration  of  the  method  to  be  employed  in  such  calculations 
and  a review  of  the  method  of  finding  the  median  is  given  below 
in  connection  with  a distribution  of  scores  on  one  of  the  Menti- 
meter  tests.  (See  Men  time  ter  No.  24,  page  234.) 


I 

II 

III 

IV 

SIZE  OF  SCORE 
ANALOGIES  TEST 

frequency:  no,  of 

COLLEGE  GRADUATES 

TOTAL  NO.  FROM 
LOWEST  SCORE 

TOTAL  % FROM 
LOWEST  SCORE 

30 

2 

129 

100 

29 

4 

127 

98.5 

28 

10 

123 

95.3 

27 

22 

113 

87.6 

26 

32 

91 

70.6 

25 

20 

69 

45.8 

24 

18 

39 

30.3 

23 

8 

21 

16.3 

22 

4 

13 

10.1 

21 

2 

9 

7.0 

20 

1 

7 

5.4 

19 

2 

6 

4.7 

18 

1 

4 

3.1 

17 

1 

3 

2.3 

16 

15 

1 

2 

1.6 

14 

13 

12 

’ i 

“i 

.8 

11 

Total 

129 

Having  distributed  the  scores  obtained  by  a group  of  college 
graduates  on  the  Analogies  test,  the  next  important  step  toward 
their  interpretation  is  the  totaling  of  the  frequencies  up  to  and 
including  those  of  each  possible  size,  as  shown  in  the  third 
column  of  the  accompanying  table.  The  fourth  column  is 
then  prepared  showing  the  corresponding  percentages  of  the  total 


HOW  TO  USE  THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  103 


number  (129)  of  persons  tested,  for  each  of  the  total  frequencies 
shown  in  column  HI.  The  table  as  a whole  is  then  to  be  read 
from  left  to  right.  As  an  example,  one  may  begin  at  20  in  the 
first  column  and  read  as  follows:  “1  college  graduate  made  a 
score  of  exactly  20  points,  making  in  all  7 individuals  who  ob- 
tained a score  of  20  points  or  less,  which  (7)  is  5.4  per  cent,  of 
the  129  individuals  tested.”  Dropping  the  eye  to  the  next 
percentage  below  this  line  in  column  IV,  one  can  interpret  the 
score  of  the  individual  who  made  a score  of  20  as  follows:  “This 
is  a poor  showing  for  a college  graduate,  for  of  129  college 
graduates  tested  only  4.7  per  cent,  made  a lower  score.” 

A very  popular  method  of  interpreting  a score  is  to  tell  in 
what  quarter  or,  as  the  statisticians  would  say,  in  what  “quar- 
tile”  of  the  distribution  a given  score  is  found.  The  upper  or 
first  quartile  of  a distribution  is  the  range  of  scores  below  which 
75  per  cent,  of  those  tested  have  fallen.  The  second  quartile 
is  the  range  of  scores  below  which  50  per  cent,  are  found  but 
above  which  25  per  cent,  of  those  tested  are  found.  The  third 
quartile  is  the  range  below  which  only  25  per  cent,  are  found  and 
above  which  50  per  cent,  are  found,  and  the  fourth  or  lowest 
quartile  is  the  range  of  scores  in  which  are  found  the  lowest  25 
per  cent,  of  the  scores  made.  The  first  and  second  quartiles 
are  above  the  median,  while  the  third  and  fourth  quartiles  are 
below  the  median.  Obviously  the  individual  who  scored  20 
points  in  the  Analogies  test,  and  is  included  in  the  lowest  5.4  per 
cent,  is  also  in  the  lowest  quartile  of  the  college  graduate  scores. 
The  point  dividing  the  first  and  second  quartiles  is  called  the 
75  percentile,  while  the  point  dividing  the  third  and  fourth 
quartiles  is  called  the  25  percentile.  As  was  stated  above,  the 
median  or  50  percentile  divides  the  second  and  third  quartiles. 

Columns  III  and  IV  in  the  foregoing  table  assist  one  quite  ma- 
terially in  calculating  the  median  and  the  other  percentile  points. 
To  find  the  median,  one  will  need  to  count  half  way  through  the 
distribution,  in  this  case  to  count  out  64.5  scores  (^-|^=64.5). 
The  20  persons  who  scored  on  25,  in  the  above  distribution,  are 


104 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


shown  by  column  III  to  be  included  in  the  lowest  59  scores  and 
by  column  IV  to  be  in  the  lowest  45.8  per  cent.  To  include 
64.5  (or  50  per  cent.)  of  the  scores,  5.5  of  the  32  individuals 
who  scored  on  26  will  need  to  be  taken  (64.5 — 59  = 5.5) ; 5.5  is 
.17  of  32,  so  it  will  be  necessary  to  take  .17  of  the  distance  (26.0 
up  to  27.0)  represented  by  a score  of  26.  This  places  the  50 
percentile  or  median  point  at  26.17,  if  we  assume  that  the  32 
individuals  obtaining  a score  of  26  were  evenly  distributed  in 
their  exact  values  between  26.0  and  27.0,  which  is  the  safest 
assumption  one  can  make  about  these  scores. 

The  25  percentile  is  found  by  counting  out  one  fourth  of  the 
frequencies,  beginning  with  the  low-score  end  of  the  distribution. 
In  the  case  of  the  college  graduates’  distribution  on  the  Analogies 
test,  the  25  percentile  is  24.63.  The  75  percentile,  which  is 
found  by  counting  out  three  fourths  of  the  frequencies  from  the 
low-score  end  or  one  fourth  from  the  high-score  end  of  the  dis- 
tribution, is  27.26  in  the  case  of  the  analogies  distribution  shown 
above.  The  “middle  50  per  cent.”  of  the  distribution,  or  the 
second  and  third  quartiles,  lie  between  24.6  and  27.3  according 
to  these  calculations.  One  may  therefore  assert  that  the  typical 
college  graduate,  meaning  one  who  is  within  the  two  middle 
quartiles  of  the  college  graduate  distribution,  should  be  ex- 
pected to  make  a score  of  24,  25,  26,  or  27  on  the  Analogies  test 
in  the  Mentimeter  series. 

Occasionally  intellectual  measurements  are  reported  by 
tenths,  the  first  tenth  being  the  tenth  of  the  distribution  having 
the  highest  scores,  just  as  the  first  quartile  is  the  quarter  con- 
taining the  highest  scores.  For  practical  purposes  with  the 
Mentimeter  tests,  however,  it  is  recommended  (1)  that  the  score 
made  on  each  test  be  recorded,  (2)  that  the  median  score  of  the 
standard  group,  with  which  each  individual’s  score  is  to  be  com- 
pared, be  calculated,  and  (3)  that  the  percentage  of  the  stands 
ard  group  making  lower  scores  than  that  individual’s  score  be 
used  as  an  interpretation.  For  these  simple  interpretations,  a 
table,  such  as  that  shown  on  page  102  for  college  graduates  in  the 


HOW  TO  USE  THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  105 


Analogies  tests,  praetically  completes  the  necessary  calcula- 
tions,* except  for  the  calculation  of  the  median  score.  It  will 
be  fairly  intelligible  to  describe  Henry  Smith’s  score  as  follows: 
“Smith  has  a score  of  24  points  as  compared  with  the  median 
score  of  26.2  points  for  his  group.  Only  16.3  per  cent,  of  the 
college  graduates  make  a poorer  score  than  Smith,  but  69.7  per 
cent,  make  a better  score.” 

Assuming  now  that  the  reader  has  a fairly  clear  idea  of  how 
to  administer  and  record  the  results  of  the  Mentimeter  tests, 
the  next  question  to  be  answered  is:  “What  shall  be  done  about 
these  test  records?  ” Measurement  in  any  field  does  not  change 
to  any  appreciable  degree  the  material  which  has  been  measured. 
The  surveyor,  for  example,  who  measures  the  area  of  a field 
makes  very  little  impression  upon  the  soil  over  which  he  passes. 
A physician  who  measures  the  weight  of  an  infant  does  not 
thereby  increase  that  weight  or  diminish  it.  In  the  same  way 
the  psychologist  who  applies  a Mentimeter  test  to  a filing  clerk, 
does  not  by  that  act  increase  the  eflaciency  of  that  clerk.  Meas- 
urements, of  themselves,  are  of  no  value.  Something  must  be 
done  about  the  result  which  is  obtained  or  all  of  the  expense  in 
time  and  money  is  of  no  avail. 

The  real  purpose  of  a measurement  is  to  tell  facts  about  a 
situation  more  exactly  and  with  greater  objectiveness  than  they 
could  be  told  in  a description.  A child  may  seem,  on  first  ap- 
pearance, to  be  under  weight,  but  in  order  to  know  definitely 
whether  or  not  that  is  true  it  is  necessary  to  measure  his  age  in 
terms  of  years,  months,  and  days,  to  measure  his  weight  in  terms 
of  pounds  and  ounces,  and  to  measure  his  height  in  terms  of  feet 
and  inches.  All  of  these  measurements  taken  together,  how- 
ever, will  not  hinder  the  child’s  growth  or  make  him  develop 

*For  the  pxirpose  of  assisting  the  reader  in  keeping  and  interpreting  records  of  the  Mentimeter 
tests,  the  authors  have  prepared  a record  booklet  which  may  be  used  with  the  tests  to  excellent 
advantage.  It  will  be  found  economical  to  use  this  booklet  because  of  the  guide  lines,  headings, 
and  practical  suggestions  which  it  contains,  reducing  copying  and  memory  work  in  the  calculations 
to  a minimum.  It  is  recommended  also  that  calculating  tables  or  a slide  rule  be  used  to  calculate 
the  percentages  called  for  in  the  final  column  of  the  distribution  tables.  Such  aids  are  very  de- 
sirable because  of  their  contribution  to  the  accuracy  of  results  and  to  economy  of  time. 


106 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


more  rapidly;  they  merely  indicate  what  his  present  condition 
is,  without  reference  to  what  it  may  have  been  in  the  past  or 
what  it  may  become  in  the  future. 

As  a sample  of  the  great  benefit  which  may  be  obtained  from 
knowing  mental  facts  exactly,  we  may  consider  the  traditions 
and  present  status  of  our  public  school  systems.  Education  has 
in  the  past  been  pointed,  from  the  very  beginning  in  the  kinder- 
garten toward  the  high  school  and  the  college  and  ultimately  the 
professional  school  in  which  lawyers,  physicians,  ministers,  and 
teachers  were  to  be  prepared.  The  child  who  by  nature  was  not 
inclined  toward  the  consideration  of  abstract  ideas  and  theories 
soon  found  that  the  schools  were  not  well  adapted  to  his  in- 
terests. 

The  percentage  of  persons  in  our  population  who  cannot 
successfully  think  and  work  with  abstract  symbols  and  verbal 
ideas  is  very  much  greater  than  most  of  us  have  been  inclined  to 
believe.  We  have  stated  or  implied  that  any  boy  who  would 
stay  in  school  long  enough  might  fit  himself  to  become  a United 
States  Senator  or  possibly  a great  newspaper  editor,  or  lawyer. 
Those  pupils  who  found  it  impossible  to  assimilate  the  type  of 
thing  that  was  offered  by  the  public  schools  have  been  eliminated 
and  sent  out  into  the  industrial  world  to  find  materials  which 
would  correspond  to  their  interests. 

Educators  have  still  further  made  the  error  of  saying  or  im- 
plying that  it  was  the  inferior  people  who  were  thus  forced  out  of 
school.  The  authors  of  the  present  book  wish  to  assert  their 
belief  that  the  mind  of  a man  whose  interests  lie  in  handling 
people  and  concrete  objects  is  not  at  all  inferior  on  that  account 
to  the  mind  of  the  man  who  handles  ideas  and  abstract  con- 
ceptions. 

Measures  of  intelligence  have  in  the  past  been  chiefly  those 
which  would  be  favourable  to  the  abstract  thinker.  The  Alpha 
test,  used  in  the  Army,  proved  conclusively  to  those  who 
studied  the  results  most  carefully,  that  fully  half  of  our  popula- 
tion can  never  succeed,  even  moderately,  in  the  manipulation  of 


now  TO  USE  THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  107 


abstract  ideas.  The  large  proportion  of  our  boys  and  girls 
who  eome  to  school  are  absolutely  doomed  to  be  unsuccessful 
and  to  become  discouraged  in  their  attempts  to  progress  in  the 
courses  which  are  commonly  given,  and  yet  the  public  supports 
these  sehools,  and  the  administrators  of  these  schools  try  to  claim 
that  they  offer  “equal  opportunity  to  all.”  Actually  the  kind  of 
opportunity  offered  can  be  used  effectively  by  only  a small  per- 
centage of  the  pupils.  Unless  the  child  has  the  ability  to  inter- 
pret symbols  and  juggle  ideas  he  is  declared  to  be  inferior  and  is 
forced  out  to  learn  for  himself  how  to  earn  a living  and  to  secure 
his  rights. 

The  Mentimeter  tests  and  other  measures  of  intellectual 
abilities  provide  the  means  whereby  pupils  may  be  classified,  at 
the  very  beginning  of  their  education,  according  to  the  degree 
to  which  the  formal  academic  training  will  be  assimilated. 
These  tests  make  it  possible  to  select  those  who  do  not  think 
abstractly  but  who  require  concrete  objects  or  persons  as  the 
material  for  their  mental  activity.  Unless  the  public  recog- 
nizes that  it  owes  an  appropriate  education  to  these  people  just 
as  surely  as  it  does  to  the  academic  few,  it  will  not  be  long  until 
this  great  group,  in  which  our  present  schools  develop  the  habit 
of  failure  and  discontent,  will  arise  to  overthrow  the  injustices 
which  our  past  aristocratic  organization  of  society  has  handed 
on  to  them. 

It  is  not  proposed  that  certain  individuals  be  selected  by 
the  Mentimeter  tests  and  trained  psychologists  and  then  con- 
demned to  training  of  a less  respectable  order  than  that  which 
is  now  offered.  What  is  proposed  is  that  by  the  use  of  intelli- 
gence tests  students  in  schools  be  classified  and  placed  in  classes 
where  they  can  learn  things  which  it  is  within  their  mental  power 
and  interests  to  grasp  and  which  will  be  of  practical  value  and 
of  social  significance  in  the  development  of  good  citizens; 
rather  than  to  continue,  as  we  have  in  the  past,  condemning 
this  large  majority  of  our  population  to  failure  in  sehool  and 
elimination  from  the  benefits  of  public  taxation  for  education. 


108 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


It  is  no  disgrace  for  a blind  man  to  be  unable  to  paint  beauti- 
ful pictures,  nor  is  it  considered  a great  social  injustice  for  a man 
of  ordinary  size  to  be  denied  the  opportunity  of  serving  as  a 
giant  in  a side  show.  It  should  not  be  considered  by  any  one 
that  being  a good  valet  or  mule  driver  or  boot  black  or  street 
cleaner  is  a less  respectable  calling  for  a man  whose  mind  de- 
mands concrete  objects  for  its  exercise  than  the  expounding  of 
the  gospel  or  explanation  of  legal  technicalities  is  to  the  man 
whose  mind  is  inclined  toward  abstract  ideas  and  relationships. 
If  we  are  to  have  an  effective  social  organization  each  person 
must  do  the  type  of  thing  for  which  his  brain  and  his  physical 
body  fit  him,  without  feeling  that  he  is  thereby  either  inferior  or 
superior  to  any  other  person.  We  must  help  one  another,  each 
supplying  that  service  for  which  he  is  best  fitted.  To  continue 
as  we  have  in  the  past,  encouraging  every  child  to  look  for  a 
“white-collar  job”  at  the  end  of  his  educational  career  is  to 
foster  the  monster  of  discontent  and  unrest  which  threatens  to 
destroy  the  very  foundations  of  modern  society. 

If  the  Mentimeter  tests  which  follow  can  do  no  more  than 
point  out  for  employers  and  educators  the  limits  to  which  those 
who  are  dependent  upon  them  can  go  in  the  understanding  and 
use  of  abstract  ideas,  they  will  thereby  have  contributed  mate- 
rially to  the  happiness  and  contentment  of  a weary  world.  Along 
with  the  results  of  the  tests  there  must,  however,  be  this  feeling 
of  responsibility  for  one  another  and  the  recognition  of  the  need 
for  “pulling  together”  for  the  common  good,  each  man  con- 
tributing that  for  which  his  inheritance  has  fitted  him,  else  we 
shall  continue  to  force  men  to  learn  failure  and  discontent  in  our 
schools  and  thereby  destroy  the  social  structure  we  have  been  so 
long  in  building. 


CHAPTER  X 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 

Tests  of  the  abilities  of  human  beings  may  be  classified  upon 
a great  many  different  bases.  It  is  possible,  first  of  all,  to 
classify  them  according  to  the  qualities  of  mind  and  body  which 
they  measure.  The  reason  it  is  difficult  so  to  classify  tests  of 
mental  ability  is  that  the  mind  refuses  to  be  cut  up  into  different 
parts,  each  one  responsible  for  a specific  characteristic.  No 
test  can  be  solved  by  the  use  of  one  and  only  one  group  of  in- 
tellectual faculties.  The  results  obtained  in  any  mental  ex- 
amination are  the  complex  effects  of  an  immense  number  of 
different  characteristics.  No  attempt  has  therefore  been  made 
in  the  classification  of  the  Mentimeters  to  say  that  one  measures 
imagination,  another  measures  attention,  and  another  some  other 
quality.  Almost  every  quality  enters  to  some  degree  in  each  test. 

It  is  possible  to  classify  tests  according  to  the  subject  matter 
which  they  contain.  The  Mentimeter  tests  are  so  arranged, 
where  it  is  possible,  as  to  cover  a very  wide  range  of  subject 
matter. 

It  is  possible  to  classify  examinations  according  to  the  ac- 
tivity required  of  the  candidate  being  examined.  A number  of 
the  Mentimeter  tests  call  for  completing  a series  of  objects  or 
ideas,  while  a number  of  others  call  for  memory  of  a certain  sort, 
and  still  others  require  discrimination  between  certain  differing 
elements.  These  differences  in  the  activity  of  the  candidate 
examined,  are  not,  however,  the  chief  distinctions  to  be  made  be- 
tween the  tests. 

It  is  possible  to  classify  measurements  according  to  the 
number  of  candidates  that  may  be  examined  at  the  same  time. 

109 


no 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Some  tests  cannot  be  given  readily  to  more  than  one  person  at  a 
time,  while  other  tests  can  be  given  to  several  at  the  same  sitting. 
In  so  far  as  possible,  the  Mentimeter  tests  are  so  arranged  that 
they  can  be  given  to  large  numbers  at  the  same  sitting.  This 
makes  for  economy  of  time  and  of  effort  on  the  part  of  the  ex- 
aminer. 

It  is  possible  to  classify  tests  according  to  physical  character- 
istics of  the  candidate  examined,  such  as  tests  for  infants,  tests 
for  children,  and  tests  for  adults,  or  tests  for  the  blind  and 
tests  for  the  deaf.  The  first  test  in  the  Mentimeter  series  is 
for  infants  while  the  remainder  of  the  tests  are  intended  to 
measure  older  people. 

Tests  may  further  be  classified  according  to  the  language 
capacity  of  the  candidates  who  are  examined.  Certain  of  the 
Mentimeter  tests  are  for  non-English-speaking  persons  primarily, 
while  others  are  primarily  for  those  who  speak  English,  and  still 
others  for  those  who  read  English. 

The  Mentimeter  series  of  examinations  which  follows  consists 
of  thirty  different  tests,  the  majority  of  which  are  modifications 
of  tests  which  have  been  used  previously  elsewhere.  The  first 
test  in  the  series  is  to  be  used  as  an  individual  test  of  very  young 
children.  The  blank  provided  furnishes  brief  suggestions,  at 
each  point,  of  what  the  procedure  should  be,  and  also  furnishes 
a place  for  the  examiner  to  record  the  result  of  his  questions  and 
observations. 

Each  examination  booklet  in  the  Mentimeter  series  has  on 
its  title  page  blanks  as  follows: 


■NTAMF, 

AGE  AT  LAST  BIRTHDAY 

LOCATION 

THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


111 


The  space  headed  ‘‘Location”  is  to  be  used  to  indicate  the 
business  or  industrial  organization  or  the  department  of  the  can- 
didate being  examined ; or  the  grade,  class,  and  school  of  a school 
pupil.  These  blanks  should  always  be  filled  out  before  the 
examination  begins. 

At  the  middle  of  the  page  directions  are  frequently  given  with 
examples  to  serve  in  explaining  concretely  just  what  the  nature 
of  the  test  is  going  to  be.  In  the  lower  right-hand  corner  of  the 
title  page  there  appears  a blank,  preceded  by  the  words  “Total 
Score.”  This  is  to  be  filled  out  by  the  examiner  after  the  can- 
didate has  marked  his  paper  and  after  the  examiner  has  scored 
the  results. 

Tests  numbered  from  2 to  10  are  classified  as  tests  for  non- 
English-speaking  persons.  They  were  designed  originally,  and 
can  best  be  used,  as  group  tests,  although  the  directions  given 
on  the  following  pages  for  these  members  of  the  Mentimeter 
family  are  usually  in  terms  of  an  individual  examination.  If  it 
had  been  possible  to  prepare  and  furnish  with  this  book  large 
charts  on  which  the  explanatory  samples  could  be  exhibited  and 
the  pantomime  instructions  clearly  demonstrated  for  a group  of 
people  at  the  same  time,  the  instructions  would  have  been 
printed  as  for  a group  examination.  Within  the  confines  of  a 
title  page  of  a test  booklet  only  small  examples  can  be  pre- 
sented, and  therefore  the  instructions  are  for  measuring  one 
individual  at  a time.  Any  employer,  teacher,  or  supervisor  who 
plans  to  make  use  of  these  tests  for  non-English-speaking  persons 
would  do  well  to  prepare  the  demonstration  material  in  en- 
larged form  in  order  to  use  it  in  giving  the  tests  to  groups  of  in- 
dividuals at  the  same  time. 

In  giving  a group  test  it  is  practically  always  necessary  to 
obtain  the  identifying  information  called  for  on  the  title  page 
before  the  booklets  are  opened  or  turned  over.  There  is  a 
distinct  tendency  for  candidates  to  try  to  glance  at  the  pages 
which  follow  unless  specific  directions  are  given  as  the  papers  are 
distributed  that  this  must  not  occur. 


112 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


The  procedure  in  giving  Mentimeters  2 to  10  to  people  who 
can  understand  and  even  read  English  is  very  little  different 
from  the  procedure  to  be  used  with  the  foreign  language  speak- 
ing groups. 

Mentimeters  11  to  15  cannot  be  given  as  group  tests  because 
of  the  great  amount  of  writing  which  this  would  entail.  Group 
tests  are  most  efficient  when  candidates  are  required  to  do  noth- 
ing other  than  check  the  correct  answers  without  having  to 
write  anything. 

Mentimeters  16  to  30  may  be  given  as  individual  examina- 
tions, although  they  are  planned  as  group  examinations  and  the 
results  obtained  from  their  use  as  group  examinations  will  be 
superior  to  the  results  obtained  from  their  use  as  individual 
examinations. 

In  giving  all  of  these  tests  it  is  very  important  that  the  printed 
forms  prepared  by  the  publishers  be  employed  and  that  the 
directions  which  follow  be  carefully  observed.  The  stencils 
furnished  with  the  printed  test  booklets  make  it  possible  for  a 
clerk  of  average  mental  capacity  to  mark  and  score  the  results 
of  these  examinations  with  great  rapidity  and  with  just  as  much 
accuracy  as  could  be  obtained  by  specialists  working  without 
such  stencils.  These  stencils  and  the  group  method  make 
psychological  examinations  economical  of  administration. 

The  list  of  Mentimeter  tests  is  as  follows : 

THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 
Test  for  Infants 

1.  Typical  Performance 

Tests  for  Non-English-Speaking  Persons 

2.  Pictorial  Absurdities 

3.  Maze  Threading 

4.  Dot  Pattern  Correction 

5.  Dividing  Geometric  Figures 

6.  Completion  of  Form  Series 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


113 


7.  Checking  Identity  of  Numbers 

8.  Digit-Symbol  Substitution 

9.  Completion  of  Number  Relation  Series 

10.  Addition  Tests 

Individual  Tests  for  English-Speaking  Persons 

11.  Memory  for  Numbers 

12.  Repeating  Numbers  Backward 

13.  Memory  for  Sentences 

14.  Speaking  Vocabulary 

15.  Word  Discrimination 

Group  Tests  for  Persons  Who  Read  English 

16.  Naming  Opposites 

17.  Spelling  Tests 

18.  Range  of  Information 

19.  Reading:  Vocabulary 

20.  Reading:  Directions 

21.  Reading:  Interpretation 

22.  Disarranged  Sentences 

23.  Completion  of  Sentences 

24.  Analogies  or  Mixed  Relations 

25.  Handwriting  Tests 

26.  English  Composition 

27.  Poetic  Discrimination 

28.  Arithmetic  Reasoning 

29.  Practical  Judgment 

30.  Logical  Conclusions. 

Mentimeter  No.  1 

TYPICAL  PERFORMANCES  OF  YOUNG  CHILDREN 

Character  of  the  Test. 

The  mental  capacity  of  adult  persons  is  indicated  rather 
accurately  by  the  number  and  variety  of  things  they  have 


114 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


learned  from  the  school  of  life,  omitting  from  the  count  so  far  as 
possible  those  things  directly  taught  by  the  formal  schools. 
The  intellectual  capacity  of  an  infant  is  likewise  indicated 
roughly  by  the  changes  which  his  brief  experience  in  life  has 
brought  about  in  his  ability  to  control  himself  and  his  immediate 
surroundings.  At  birth  the  child  is  practically  without  control 
of  his  own  body,  except  for  certain  sucking  reflexes,  certain 
crying  reflexes,  and  the  reflex  which  causes  it  to  grasp  with  its 
fingers  or  toes  the  finger  or  pencil  which  is  brought  into  contact 
with  them.  These  reflexes  can  hardly  be  said  to  be  a part  of 
the  child’s  control  of  his  own  body,  for  the  child  could  not  avoid 
obeying  them  if  he  so  desired.  The  new-born  infant  is  prac- 
tically helpless  even  so  far  as  his  own  body  is  concerned.  Any 
degree  of  control  he  may  later  develop  over  his  body  or  over 
other  things  outside  is  attained  because  he  has  a system  of 
nerve  and  brain  cells  capable  of  forming  connections  and  being 
modified  by  these  connections  and  their  results. 

The  degree  to  which  the  child’s  nervous  system  is  organized 
and  supplied  with  potential  connections  by  inheritance  is  re- 
fleeted  very  early  in  life  by  the  quickness  with  which  it  learns  to 
control  itself  and  its  immediate  environment.  The  most  ready 
method  of  testing  this  inherited  capacity  is  therefore  to  deter- 
mine at  any  particular  age  just  how  complex  and  adequate  a 
system  of  control  has  been  developed.  The  tests  for  measuring 
infants  and  young  children  consist,  then,  in  those  performances 
under  specified  standard  conditions,  which  are  typical  for  chil- 
dren at  various  ages. 

The  Mentimeter  for  young  children  is  based  directly  upon  the 
findings  of  Prof.  Lewis  M.  Terman  and  his  students  in  their 
investigations  of  children  from  three  to  twenty  years  of  age. 
This  investigation  was  so  carefully  devised  and  executed  that  to 
improve  on  the  product,  the  Stanford  Revision  of  the  Binet 
tests,  would  be  almost  impossible.  The  tests  for  children 
three  and  four  years  of  age  presented  in  the  following  pages  are 
therefore  not  claimed  to  be  new  or  original  with  the  present 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


115 


authors,  who  hereby  express  to  Doctor  Terman  their  admiration 
for  his  excellent  contributions  in  the  field  of  psychological  meas- 
urements. The  tests  here  suggested  for  children  under  three  years 
of  age  are  modifications  of  those  suggested  by  Doctor  Kuhlmann. 
All  investigators  in  this  field  are,  of  course,  indebted  to  the 
pioneers,  the  French  psychologists,  Binet  and  Simon. 

The  method  of  this  test  series  consists  in  putting  the  child  into 
a well-defined  situation  and  observing  how  he  acts.  The 
situation  may  consist  partly  in  words  or  other  noises  impressing 
themselves  upon  his  ears,  or  it  may  consist  largely  in  visual 
sensations,  or  even  in  sensations  of  physical  well-being  in  his 
own  body.  Under  a given  situation  a normal  child  of  a given 
age  or  older  will  act  in  a certain  standard  way.  The  measure- 
ment then  is  in  terms  of  the  age  for  which  a given  child’s  reac- 
tions are  typical. 

The  test  can  best  be  given  by  one  who  is  fairly  familiar  with 
the  infant  to  be  tested,  although  interest  in  having  the  child 
make  a good  showing  should  never  be  allowed  to  change  one’s 
judgment  of  the  facts  as  to  the  child’s  performance.  Another 
danger  of  too  great  familiarity  is  that  the  examiner  may,  without 
intention  to  do  so,  drill  the  child  upon  those  things  which  are 
later  to  be  required  in  the  test.  In  so  far  as  the  parent  knows 
what  performances  are  to  be  included  in  the  tests  there  is  real 
danger  that  the  child  will  be  “coached  up”  on  these  things,  even 
at  as  early  an  age  as  six  months. 

List  of  Typical  Performances. 

Three  Months  (3  tests,  credit  1 month  each) 

1.  Control  of  eyes  (Both  eyes  look  in  same  direction.  Follows 

with  eyes  the  movement  of  bright  objects) . 

2.  Hearing  (Reacts  with  sudden  start  or  scream  to  loud 

noises,  such  as  slamming  of  door,  hand  clapping.  Turns 
eyes  or  head  in  direction  of  less  startling  noises,  such  as 
opening  of  door,  footsteps). 


116  MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 

3.  Muscular  Control  (Moves  hand  or  toy  directly  to  mouth 
without  striking  other  parts  of  body  and  face.  Grasps  or 
curls  fingers  about  rattle  or  pencil  placed  in  hands). 

Six  Months  (3  tests,  credit  1 month  each) 

1.  Muscular  Control  (Balances  head  without  support.  Sits 

ten  minutes  or  more  when  supported). 

2.  Self  Direction  (Attempts  to  catch  self  when  beginning  to 

fall  from  sitting  posture.  Reaches  out  for  toys  and  near-by 
objects.  Attempts  to  pull  self  to  sitting  posture  if  given  a 
hand  to  grasp). 

3.  Enjoyment  (Plays  longer  and  more  persistently  with  one 

toy  than  with  another.  Laughs  aloud  when  bounced  on 
bed  or  when  familiars  indulge  in  strenuous  exercise). 

One  Year  (6  tests,  credit  1 month  each) 

1.  Imitation  of  Movements  (Can  learn  in  half  dozen  trials  to 

“wave  bye-bye,”  put  hands  above  head,  or  hide  face  in 
hands). 

2.  Locomotion  (Creeps  toward  desired  objects,  or  stands 

beside  a chair  without  other  assistance). 

3.  Understanding  (Looks  at  frequently  observed  objects 

when  names  are  mentioned:  dog,  ball,  mama,  flowers). 

4.  Obedience  (Understands  and  usually  obeys  simple  com- 

mands: “Lie  down!  No,  No!  Spit  it  out!”). 

5.  Speech  (Repeats  simple  syllables : “go,  go;  da,  da;  ma,  ma; 

bye-bye”). 

6.  Calls  attention  (Shouts  exclamations,  looks  or  even  points 

to  objects  of  special  interest:  dogs,  cats,  train,  carts,  etc). 

Two  Years  (6  tests,  credit  2 months  each) 

1.  Speech  (Names  articles  of  food  desired:  milk,  cracker, 

rice,  etc). 

2.  Pictures  (Points  out  familiar  objects:  boy,  dog,  cat,  cow, 

man). 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  117 

3.  Obedience  (Put  ball  in  basket.  Close  the  door.  Bring 

the  ball). 

4.  Imitation  (Imitates  actions  of  other  children  at  play). 

5.  Discernment  (Removes  wrapping  from  candy;  opens  sack 

to  get  cookies). 

6.  Self  Direction  (Walks  directly  to  desired  locations;  rides 

“kiddie-kar’’  forward). 

Three  Years  (6  tests,  credit  2 months  each) 

1.  Parts  of  Body  (Points  to  nose,  eyes,  mouth,  hair). 

2.  Familiar  Objects  (Names  key,  penny,  knife,  watch,  pencil). 

3.  Pictures  (Enumerates  objects  in  pictures:  Dutch  Home, 

Canoe,  and  Post  Office). 

4.  Able  to  tell  own  sex. 

5.  Gives  last  name. 

6.  Repeats  sentences  of  6 or  7 syllables. 

Four  Years  (6  tests,  credit  2 months  each) 

1.  Discriminates  between  circles,  squares,  and  triangles. 

2.  Counts  four  pennies. 

3.  Copies  a square. 

4.  Comprehension  of  described  situation. 

5.  Repeats  four  numbers  in  order:  4739  2854  7261 

6.  Repeats  sentences  of  12  or  13  syllables. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

A very  large  part  of  this  test  must  be  given  informally.  It  will 
be  necessary  to  spend  considerable  time  with  each  child  examined 
in  order  to  make  certain  that  the  reactions  observed  are  not 
merely  random  movements  which  are  not  typical.  For  the  tests 
of  children  three  years  of  age  and  above  the  reader  should  very 
carefully  study  the  detailed  directions  given  by  Professor  Ter- 
man  in  his  book,  “The  Measurement  of  Intelligence,”  published 
by  Houghton  Miffiin  Company,  if  scientific  accuracy  of  results 
is  necessary.  The  materials  called  for  may  be  secured  from 


118 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


C.  H.  Stoelting  and  Company,  3037  Carroll  Ave.,  Chicago.  The 
directions  given  below  are  intended  to  be  elementary  and  to 
indicate  what  is  typical  of  children  at  each  age  rather  than  to 
serve  as  a perfect  guide  for  the  most  scientific  examinations. 

Three  Months 

At  the  age  of  three  months  an  infant  should  be  able  to  co- 
ordinate his  eyes;  that  is,  to  direct  both  eyes  in  the  same  direction 
and  to  move  them  simultaneously.  When  bright  objects  are 
brought  into  his  field  of  vision  and  moved  slowly  from  one  side  to 
the  other,  he  should  be  able  to  follow  with  his  eyes.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  many  infants  have  attained  this  degree  of  control 
within  the  first  week  of  their  lives,  but  lack  of  control  to  this 
extent  at  the  end  of  three  months  is  an  indication  that  special 
medical  attention  should  be  sought. 

For  several  days  after  birth  the  infant  does  not  ordinarily  hear 
any  of  the  sounds  or  noises  which  occur  in  his  vicinity.  By  the 
time  he  has  become  three  months  old,  it  should  be  apparent, 
from  the  sudden  start  or  scream  of  the  child  when  a door  is 
slammed  or  someone  in  his  neighbourhood  suddenly  claps  his 
hands,  that  the  child  actually  hears  these  noises.  The  average 
child  at  three  months  has  become  so  familiar  with  life  and  its 
evidences  that  he  will  be  able  to  turn  his  eyes  in  the  direction  of 
such  noises  as  the  opening  of  a door  or  the  sound  of  footsteps 
near  his  bed. 

The  first  evidences  of  the  child’s  recognition  of  sounds  or 
sights  are  very  difficult  to  interpret  because  they  consist  almost 
entirely  in  awkward,  random  moving  of  the  hands  and  feet. 
Gradually  the  child  develops  some  control  over  these  movements 
and  by  the  age  of  three  months  should  be  able  to  move  his  hand, 
or  a toy  in  his  hand,  directly  to  his  mouth  without  striking  other 
parts  of  his  body  or  face  in  the  process.  The  early  tendency  of 
the  infant  to  curl  his  fingers  about  a pencil  or  rattle  which  is 
placed  in  contact  with  them  seems  almost  to  disappear  during 
the  first  month,  but  by  the  age  of  three  months  the  child  is  again 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  119 

able  to  grasp  such  objects  sufficiently  to  hold  them  for  periods 
ranging  from  thirty  seconds  upward. 

Six  Months 

The  control  of  his  body  has  so  improved  by  the  time  he  has 
reached  the  age  of  six  months  that  the  average  child  can  balance 
his  head  without  support  for  several  minutes.  It  is  usually 
possible  also  for  the  child  to  sit  in  a chair  or  on  the  bed  with  the 
support  of  pillows  and  bed  clothing  for  as  much  as  ten  minutes. 
Occasionally,  of  course,  the  child  will  be  able  to  sit  alone  as  early 
as  six  months,  but  it  is  not  wise  to  encourage  this  practice.  The 
lack  of  ability  to  sit  when  supported  at  the  age  of  six  months  is 
not  necessarily  an  indication  of  lack  of  intellectual  power  but 
may  be  due  entirely  to  physical  weakness. 

Not  only  has  the  child  at  six  months  arrived  at  the  stage 
where  he  can  balance  his  head  and  sit  quietly  when  supported, 
but  he  has  usually  begun  to  try  to  assist  himself  in  various  ways. 
Very  frequently  this  attempt  at  self-help  will  be  evidenced  by 
pulling  movements  intended  to  bring  him  to  a sitting  posture 
when  a hand  is  offered  to  him.  There  is  no  hesitation  in  the 
ordinary  child  at  six  months  in  his  reaching  out  for  toys  or  for  a 
hand  which  is  held  toward  him.  Very  frequently  it  will  be 
observed  that  such  a child  puts  out  its  hand  to  catch  itself  if  it  is 
beginning  to  fall  from  a sitting  posture. 

The  child  has  usually  begun  to  show  signs  of  pleasure  and 
displeasure  long  before  he  has  reached  six  months.  This  phase 
of  development  may  be  indicated  by  his  playing  longer  and  more 
persistently  with  one  toy  than  with  any  other.  It  may  be 
shown  by  much  more  animated  activity  when  certain  familiar 
individuals  are  present  than  would  be  evidenced  in  the  presence 
of  others  equally  well  known.  Very  frequently  children  at  this 
age  indulge  in  amused  laughing  aloud  when  bounced  on  the  bed, 
or  when  some  well-known  individual  indulges  in  strenuous 
exercises  accompanied  by  vociferous  exclamations  while  the 
baby  is  watching. 


120 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


One  Year 

By  the  time  a child  has  become  twelve  months  old  it  will  be 
possible  to  teach  it  many  little  tricks  and  movements  of  a simple 
nature.  The  child  seems  to  imitate  almost  spontaneously  the 
actions  which  are  often  repeated  by  its  parents  or  nurse.  Six  to 
twelve  trials  should  be  sufficient  to  teach  the  average  infant  of 
one  year  how  to  “wave  bye-bye”  when  told  to  do  so,  or  how  to 
hold  its  hands  above  its  head  when  asked  “How  big  are  you .5^”  or 
to  hide  its  face  behind  its  hands  or  behind  one  of  its  covers  when 
someone  exclaims  “Peek-a-boo.” 

Some  children  never  learn  to  creep  before  learning  to  walk. 
As  a matter  of  fact,  it  seems  fairly  certain  that  the  child  who 
creeps  rapidly  may  thereby  postpone  learning  to  walk.  At  the 
age  of  one  year  a child  should  be  able  to  stand  beside  a chair 
without  other  assistance  than  the  support  given  by  the  chair,  or 
it  should  be  able  to  creep  very  rapidly  toward  its  toys  or  any 
other  desired  objects.  Frequently,  of  course,  children  have 
learned  to  walk  fairly  well  by  the  time  they  have  attained 
twelve  months,  but  this  is  rather  unusual  and  is  not  particularly 
an  indication  of  the  degree  of  mental  capacity. 

The  child  of  one  year  understands  many  common  words 
applying  to  frequently  observed  objects  which  have  been  re- 
peatedly called  to  his  attention.  When  asked  “Where  is  the 
dog? — where  is  the  ball? — where  are  the  flowers?”  and  such 
questions  the  average  infant  will  turn  its  head  and  look  toward 
the  object  mentioned,  sometimes  pointing,  although  this  is 
somewhat  unusual. 

Simple  commands  such  as  “ Lie  down ! No-no ! Spit  it  out ! ” 
and  the  like,  can  be  understood  and  are  usually  obeyed  by 
children  of  this  age. 

The  speech  of  a child  at  this  age  is  of  course  very  simple, 
consisting  of  one  syllable  words,  usually  repeated.  Such  ex- 
pressions as  “ma-ma,”  “bye-bye,”  da-da,”  “go-go,”  may  be 
expected  in  the  average  child.  It  is  unusual  for  an  infant  to 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  121 

combine  two  such  expressions  into  a crude  sentence  at  this 
age. 

The  child  at  one  year  quite  frequently  has  begun  to  attempt 
manipulation  of  his  environment  as  well  as  of  his  own  body. 
Very  frequently  this  will  be  observed  in  shouts  or  exclamations 
accompanied  by  looking  or  even  pointing  to  objects  which  his 
familiars  have  previously  pointed  out  to  him,  such  as  dogs,  cats, 
trains,  carts,  etc.  These  objects  will  ordinarily  not  be  named  by 
the  child,  although  peculiar  sounds  fitting  each  one  may  fre- 
quently be  distinguished.  Another  manifestation  of  this  same 
attempt  at  altering  his  environment  will  be  the  crying  in  which 
the  child  will  indulge  when  he  desires  to  change  his  resting  place 
or  to  have  something  to  eat. 

Two  Years 

By  the  time  a child  has  become  two  years  of  age  its  speech 
has  developed  to  such  an  extent  that  it  will  be  able  to  name, 
although  frequently  not  with  clearness  and  distinct  pronuncia- 
tion, many  of  its  toys  and  articles  of  food.  “Milk,”  “rice,”  and 
“cookie,”  are  examples  of  the  most  frequently  named  objects. 
Many  children  have  by  this  age  also  progressed  to  the  point 
where  two  or  three  or  more  words  may  be  joined  together  to 
form  a crude  sentence.  There  are  on  record  children  who  by  two 
years  of  age  were  able  to  frame  fairly  good  sentences  and  even 
to  read  from  simple  books,  but  such  records  are  very  unusual. 

At  this  time  the  child  should  be  able  to  distinguish  pictures  of 
familiar  objects,  such  as  dogs,  cats,  horses,  men  and  boys.  This 
will  be  manifest  not  only  in  the  child’s  being  able  to  name  the 
objects  to  which  other  people  point  in  the  picture,  but  when 
asked,  “Where  is  the  dog?”  the  infant  should  be  able  to  point 
to  it  if  the  picture  is  at  all  clear. 

Simple  commands  should  be  thoroughly  understood  and  the 
well- trained  infant  will  be  able  to  obey  without  much  delay  such 
directions  as  “Put  the  ball  in  the  basket,”  “Close  the  door,” 
“ Bring  me  the  doll,”  and  “ Show  me  the  book.” 


122 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


The  average  child  at  two  years  of  age  has  become  distinctly 
aware  of  other  children  as  persons  more  nearly  related  to  itself 
than  are  the  adults  with  whom  it  is  ordinarily  associated.  This 
reveals  itself  in  imitation  of  the  actions  of  other  children,  such 
as  waving  the  arms  when  other  children  do  so,  hiding  the  face 
against  the  wall  when  other  children  are  playing  hide  and  seek, 
and  stepping  rhythmically  when  other  children  dance. 

By  the  age  of  two  years  the  average  child  can  distinguish 
accurately  between  that  which  is  food  and  that  which  is  not  fit 
for  eating.  The  wrapping  from  candy  or  cookies  or  other  well- 
liked  food  will  be  removed  or  torn  away  before  an  attempt  is 
made  to  eat  the  food.  Frequently  this  will  result  in  great 
annoyance  when  the  child  opens  sacks  and  packages  to  which  he 
is  not  entitled. 

The  child  at  this  age  has  usually  learned  to  walk  quite  erectly 
without  hesitation  to  any  desired  location.  If  the  child  is 
placed  upon  a “kiddie-kar”  his  first  reaction  is  to  run  it  back- 
ward, but  by  the  age  of  two  years  he  should  be  able  to  guide  it 
well  in  going  forward.  Some  attempts  will  be  made  at  running 
and  a great  many  attempts  at  climbing  by  the  time  the  child  has 
reached  this  age. 


Three  Years 

At  three  years  of  age  a child  when  asked  to  point  out  different 
parts  of  its  body  (nose,  eyes,  mouth,  and  hair)  can  do  so  without 
hesitation.  Familiar  objects,  such  as  a key,  a penny,  a pocket- 
knife  (closed),  a watch,  and  a pencil  (common  wooden)  will  be 
named  at  once  if  held  out  to  the  child  with  the  question,  “What 
is  this?” 

The  pictures  used  in  the  Stanford  Revision  of  the  Binet  test 
may  be  shown  to  the  child  with  the  direction  “Tell  me  what  you 
see  in  this  picture,”  or  “Look  at  the  picture  and  tell  me  every- 
thing you  can  see  in  it.”  In  response  to  such  questions  the 
child  should  be  able  to  enumerate  different  objects,  such  as  the 
little  girl,  the  window,  the  chair,  and  the  woman  in  the  picture 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  123 

of  the  Dutch  Home;  or  the  men,  the  basket,  and  the  newspaper 
in  the  picture  of  the  Post-office. 

At  this  age  the  child  has  had  enough  experience  to  be  able  to 
repeat  its  last  name  and  to  know  whether  people  call  it  a “girl” 
or  a “boy.”  The  question  should  be  asked  in  the  following 
fashion:  “What  is  your  name.?^”  If  the  answer  is  in  terms  of 

the  given  name  only,  then  the  question  should  be  amplified  as 
follows:  “Yes,  but  what  is  your  other  name. ^ Walter  what?” 

If  the  surname  is  still  not  given,  a fictitious  one  may  be  framed 
and  the  question  asked  in  some  such  fashion  as  follows:  “Is 

your  name  Walter  Smith?”  If  the  child  is  still  unable  to  reply 
then  it  is  probable  that  he  does  not  know  the  family  name  or  is 
too  frightened  to  give  it.  In  finding  whether  the  child  knows 
his  sex  the  formula  for  a boy  should  be : “Are  you  a little  boy  or  a 
little  girl?  ” For  a girl  the  question  should  be:  “Are  you  a little 
girl  or  a little  boy?” 

At  the  age  of  three  years  a child  should  be  able  to  repeat 
sentences  containing  six  or  seven  syllables.  Those  used  by 
Terman  are:  (1)  “I  have  a little  dog.”  (2)  “In  summer  the 
sun  is  hot.”  (3)  “The  dog  runs  after  the  cat.”  In  leading 
up  to  these  repetitions  it  is  well  to  ask  the  child  first  to  say 
single  words,  such  as  “school.”  “Can  you  say  school?” 
“Now  say,  ‘I  go  to  school.’”  Then  ask  the  child  to  say  “I 
have  a little  dog.” 


Four  Years 

By  this  time  the  child  should  be  able  to  distinguish  between 
circles,  squares,  triangles,  and  other  geometric  forms.  Ten 
drawings  of  circles,  squares,  and  triangles  should  be  presented  to 
the  child  and  he  should  be  able  to  find  one  or  two  others  just 
like  the  one  to  which  the  examiner  points. 

The  child  should  by  this  time  be  able  to  count  pennies  or 
buttons,  at  least  up  to  four,  without  any  error.  The  child 
should  be  able  to  handle  a pencil  well  enough  so  that  a square 
one  inch  each  way  could  be  copied  fairly  well.  The  child’s 


124 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


memory  has  developed  to  such  an  extent  that  if  four  numbers 
are  repeated  to  him  at  the  rate  of  one  per  second  he  should  be 
able  to  repeat  them  in  correct  order  at  once.  Three  trials 
should  be  allowed  and  at  least  one  of  the  three  should  be  right- 
By  this  time,  also,  a sentence  of  twelve  or  thirteen  syllables 
should  be  remembered  correctly.  The  sentences  used  by 
Terman  are:  (1)  “When  the  train  passes  you  will  hear  the 
whistle  blow.’’  (2)  “We  are  going  to  have  a good  time  in  the 
country.”  (3)  “The  boy’s  name  is  John.  He  is  a very  good 
boy.”  The  method  of  getting  the  child’s  attention  and  leading 
up  to  these  longer  sentences  is  the  same  as  was  described  under 
Year  Three. 

The  child’s  judgment  has  developed  by  this  time  through  ex- 
perience and  precept  to  the  point  where  an  inquiry  from  the 
examiner  as  to  “What  must  you  do  when  you  are  sleepy?” 
will  bring  forth  a response  indicating  that  one  should  go  to 
bed  and  sleep.  The  question  of  “What  must  you  do  when  you 
are  cold?”  should  bring  forth  some  such  reply  as,  “Put  on  a 
coat,”  “Build  a fire,”  or  “Stand  next  to  the  radiator.”  The 
question,  “What  must  you  do  when  you  are  hungry?”  should 
bring  forth  such  answers  as  “Buy  some  lunch,”  “Drink  some 
milk,”  or  “Eat  something.” 

Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  method  of  scoring  is  briefly  indicated  in  the  list  of 
typical  performances  printed  on  pages  115-117.  The  three 
tests  at  age  three  months  are  each  to  be  given  one  month  credit. 
The  three  tests  at  six  months  are  likewise  to  be  given  one  month 
credit  for  each  successful  performance,  as  are  the  six  tests  at  one 
year.  The  six  tests  at  two  years,  the  six  at  three  years,  and  the 
six  at  four  years,  are  in  each  case  to  be  given  a credit  of  two 
months  each.  The  child  who  did  everything  in  the  entire  test 
correctly  would  then  have  demonstrated  the  mental  ability  of 
the  average  child  of  four  years  or  older.  The  child  who  com- 
pletes all  of  the  tests  at  three  months  and  one  of  the  tests  at  six 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


125 


months  would  then  be  rated  as  having  mental  ability  typical 
of  a four-months-old-child.  If  the  child  were  to  fail  on  only  one 
of  the  tests  at  one  year  but  to  pass  all  those  previous  to  one 
year,  his  mental  age  score  would  be  eleven  months,  according  to 
this  system  of  assigning  credits.  It  will  frequently  be  found 
that  a child  does  not  pass  all  of  the  one-year  tests  before 
being  able  to  do  one  or  two  of  the  two-year  tests  and  so  on. 
This  should  not  make  it  more  difficult  to  score  the  test,  for 
each  particular  performance  has  its  value  indicated  in  the 
list  which  was  given  above. 

It  cannot  be  claimed  that  these  tests,  especially  those  below 
the  three-year-old  level,  have  been  fully  standardized.  They 
are,  however,  very  much  better  than  the  average  parent  or  rela- 
tive would  be  able  to  prepare  for  him  or  herself.  The  mental 
age  score  which  will  result  from  the  use  of  these  tests  is  not  as 
reliable  as  will  result  from  the  use  of  the  Stanford  Revision  of  the 
Binet  tests  with  older  children,  but  its  reliability  is  sufficient  to 
point  out  cases  of  retardation  in  intelligence  or  of  distinct  bril- 
liance of  mind. 


Three  Months 

Control  of  Eyes.  Both  of  the  eyes  should  look  in  the  same 
direction  and  the  child  should  be  able  to  follow  with  its  eyes  the 
movements  of  bright  objects  in  order  to  obtain  credit  in  this 
test. 

Hearing.  It  will  not  be  necessary  for  the  child  to  react  with  a 
start  or  scream  to  loud  noises  and  also  to  react  by  turning  the 
eyes  in  the  direction  of  less  startling  noises  in  order  to  obtain 
credit  for  hearing.  Either  evidence,  if  clear,  will  be  sufficient 
to  warrant  giving  credit. 

Muscular  Control.  The  grasping  of  a pencil  or  rattle  should 
not  be  taken  as  sufficient  evidence  of  muscular  control.  The 
ability  of  the  child,  however,  to  move  his  hand  directly  to  his 
mouth  as  described  above  will  be  in  itself  abundant  evidence 
that  the  child  merits  a credit  in  this  test. 


126 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Six  Months 

Muscular  Control.  Either  balancing  the  head  or  sitting  with 
some  support  for  as  much  as  ten  minutes  should  be  accepted  as 
worthy  of  credit. 

Self-direction.  The  attempt  to  pull  himself  to  a sitting 
posture  should  not  be  taken  by  itself  as  evidence  of  credit  in  this 
test.  Only  when  it  is  accompanied  by  one  of  the  other  two 
evidences  should  it  be  credited. 

Enjoyment.  Any  two  of  the  evidences  of  pleasure  or  dis- 
pleasure listed  may  be  taken  together  as  indication  of  credit 
being  deserved. 

One  Year 

Imitation  of  Movement.  Any  one  of  the  movements  described, 
which  the  child  learns  within  a short  time  by  imitation,  should 
give  credit  in  this  test. 

Locomotion.  Either  of  the  two  methods  of  demonstration 
will  be  sufficient. 

Understanding.  At  least  three  familiar  objects  should  be 
used  in  this  test  with  success  before  credit  is  allowed. 

Obedience.  At  least  two  simple  commands  should  be  under- 
stood and  obeyed  before  allowing  credit. 

Speech.  Not  less  than  three  different  syllables  should  be 
used  before  credit  is  allowed. 

Calling  Attention.  No  credit  should  be  given  at  this  point 
unless  the  child  very  evidently  attempts  to  excite  interest  and 
attention  in  two  or  three  different  objects. 

Two  Years 

Speech.  Any  four  distinct  articles  mentioned  by  the  child 
when  it  desires  them  should  be  sufficient  evidence  to  give  credit 
here. 

Pictures.  At  least  four  different  objects  should  be  recognized 
and  pointed  out  before  credit  is  allowed. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


127 

Obedience.  Two  simple  commands  of  the  type  mentioned 
should  be  suflScient  to  bring  credit  at  this  point. 

Imitation.  Only  after  repeated  evidences  of  imitation  of 
other  children  should  credit  be  given  here. 

Discernment.  Repeated  evidences  should  be  required  before 
credit  is  allowed  for  this  test. 

Self-direction.  Any  one  of  the  evidences  described  is  sufficient. 


Three  Years 

Parts  of  the  Body.  Three  out  of  four  parts  mentioned  should 
be  pointed  out  before  allowing  credit. 

Familiar  Objects.  Three  out  of  five  of  the  objects  mentioned 
must  be  named  in  order  to  obtain  credit  here. 

Pictures.  The  child  should  name  at  least  three  objects  in 
one  of  the  three  pictures  in  order  to  obtain  credit. 

Sex  and  Name.  Accuracy  is  necessary  here. 

Repeating  Syllables.  One  of  the  three  sentences  should  be 
repeated  absolutely  without  error. 


Four  Years 

Forms.  Out  of  ten  trials,  at  least  seven  should  be  correct  in 
order  to  obtain  credit. 

Counting.  No  error  should  be  allowed. 

Copying.  Out  of  three  attempts,  at  least  one  should  be  fairly 
regular  and  distinctly  recognizable  as  a square. 

Comprehension.  Success  must  be  attained  in  two  of  the  three 
questions  in  order  to  receive  credit. 

Repeating  Numbers.  One  out  of  three  trials  should  be  ab- 
solutely correct. 

Repeating  Syllables.  One  of  the  three  trials  should  be  with- 
out error  or  two  of  the  three  trials  with  not  more  than  one  slight 
error  in  each. 


128 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


The  matter  of  nourishment  and  physical  well-being  may  re- 
tard a child  to  such  an  extent  that  his  intellectual  development 
is  delayed.  Great  care  should,  therefore,  be  taken  not  to  inter- 
pret a low  score  on  this  test  too  seriously.  It  should  also  be 
noted  that  familiarity  with  the  test  is  quite  certain  to  cause 
parents  to  put  forth  special  effort  to  instruct  the  child  along  the 
lines  required  by  the  test.  The  test  itself  is  thereby  invalidated. 
Only  when  no  special  instruction  has  been  given  at  any  point 
covered  by  the  test  can  one  be  satisfied  that  he  is  obtaining  a fair 
measure  of  the  child’s  ability. 

The  test  booklet  supplied  for  this  test  is  not  for  the  use  of  the 
candidate  being  examined  but  for  the  examiner  to  use  as  a guide 
and  record  of  the  examination.  One  such  booklet  should  be 
used  for  each  individual  examined,  in  order  to  be  certain  that 
no  test  is  omitted  or  wrongly  scored  and  in  order  to  have  a record 
for  comparison  with  future  tests  of  the  same  individual  or  of 
other  individuals. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


129 


Mentimeter  No.  2 
PICTORIAL  ABSURDITIES 
Nature  of  the  Test. 

One  of  the  most  popular  tests  in  the  Army  Beta  series  was 
the  mutilated  pictures  test,  in  which  the  soldiers  were  to  draw 
into  each  picture  what  had  been  omitted.  One  great  difficulty 
with  this  test  was  the  tendency  of  intelligent  men  to  spend  far 
too  much  time  trying  to  draw  artistically  the  missing  parts. 
The  present  test  is  a modification  of  that  test,  so  arranged  that 
instead  of  the  candidate  being  required  to  draw  a missing  part 
he  is  only  asked  to  make  a check  mark  at  the  point  where  there 
is  something  that  does  not  fit  the  remainder  of  the  picture. 

The  test  booklet  is  arranged  with  two  samples  on  the  title 
page  to  show  clearly  what  is  to  be  done  when  the  candidate 
opens  his  booklet.  By  having  these  samples  painted  on  the 
wall  or  blackboard,  it  would  be  possible  to  give  the  test  to  large 
groups  of  persons  at  once,  although  the  directions  given  below 
are  for  testing  one  individual  only  at  a time.  Although  listed 
as  a test  for  non-English-speaking  persons,  some  oral  direction 
should  accompany  the  motions  by  which  the  test  is  to  be  given, 
and  English-speaking  persons  may  be  examined  by  this  test  as 
readily  as  those  who  speak  a foreign  language. 

The  graduation  of  the  pictures  according  to  their  approximate 
difficulty  makes  the  score  in  this  test  a real  measure  of  the  degree 
of  absurdity  which  an  individual  can  detect.  The  pictures 
themselves  were  chosen  from  as  wide  a field  as  possible  in  order 
to  avoid  undue  advantage  to  persons  of  one  type  of  experience 
rather  than  another.  Only  intelligent  persons  of  fairly  wide 
general  experience  will  be  able  to  make  a perfect  score  in  the 
time  allowed. 


130 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

The  examiner  and  the  candidate  to  be  examined  should  be 
comfortably  seated  at  a table  with  the  examination  booklet  be- 
tween them.  If  it  is  discovered  that  the  candidate  is  left- 
handed,  the  examiner  should  sit  on  the  left,  although  under 
ordinary  circumstances  the  examiner  should  sit  on  the  right. 
The  blanks  on  the  title  page  of  the  booklet  should  be  filled  out 
by  the  examiner  from  any  records  he  may  have  of  the  name  and 
age  of  the  candidate  (if  persons  who  read  and  understand 
English  are  being  examined,  several  may  be  tested  at  once  and 
each  may  be  asked  to  fill  out  the  blanks  for  himself).  For 
persons  who  do  not  understand  the  English  language  the  words 
which  are  used  in  the  following  explanations  will  be  more  sug- 
gestive than  informing.  The  chief  part  of  the  demonstration 
will  be  the  motions  through  which  the  examiner  goes,  and  there- 
fore great  care  should  be  taken  that  these  be  as  suggestive  of 
what  is  wanted  as  the  examiner  can  make  them.  To  secure 
uniformity  of  procedure  the  routine  outline  below  should  be 
carefully  followed. 

The  booklet  should  be  opened  by  the  examiner  and  the  pic- 
tures exhibited  for  not  more  than  twenty  seconds  to  the  candi- 
date, the  examiner  pointing  from  one  to  another  of  the  first 
half-dozen  pictures.  He  should  then  close  the  book  and  call  the 
attention  of  the  candidate  to  the  picture  of  the  rabbit  on  the 
title  page.  He  should  point  to  the  rabbit’s  ear  and  then  point  to 
the  inappropriate  ear  and  shake  his  head.  This  pointing  to  the 
two  ears  and  shaking  the  head  when  pointing  to  the  wrong  type 
of  ear  may  be  repeated  as  many  as  three  times  in  order  to  im- 
press on  the  candidate  that  one  of  the  ears  is  inappropriate.  He 
should  then  take  his  pencil  and  make  a check  mark  above  the 
ear  which  is  incorrect. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


131 


Mark  (t?^)  the  thing  that  is  wrong 


The  examiner  should  then  point  to  the  second  picture  on  the 
title  page  and  look  questioningly  at  the  candidate.  He  may 
then  point  to  the  chin  of  the  face  represented  and  nod  his  head, 
“yes.”  He  may  next  point  to  the  nose  and  nod  his  head,  “yes,” 
but  when  he  points  to  the  place  where  the  eye  should  be  he  should 
shake  his  head,  “no,”  and  pretend  to  look  for  the  missing  eye. 
When  found,  he  should  make  a check  a mark  over  the  misplaced 
eye  and  smile  at  his  achievement.  If  special  emphasis  seems 
necessary  he  may  point  again  to  the  eye  in  its  inappropriate 
position,  and  shake  his  head,  repeating  the  check  mark  above  it. 

If  the  candidate  understands  but  does  not  read  English  the 
examiner  may  trace  with  his  finger  while  reading  aloud  the  direc- 
tions printed  above  the  test  pictures.  “Mark  (|/)  the  thing 
that  is  wrong.”  Exactly  three  minutes  (180  seconds)  should 
be  allowed  from  the  time  the  examiner  opens  the  book  and  furn- 
ishes the  candidate  with  a pencil. 


Mark  (|/)  the  thing  that  is  wrong 


132 


133 


Mark  the  thing  that  is  wrong 


Mark  {-f)  the  thing  that  is  wrong 


135 


136 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


At  the  end  of  the  three  minutes  the  paper  should  be  removed 
and  scored  according  to  the  following  directions. 

Direction  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  score  in  this  test  is  the  number  of  pictures  in  which 
the  absurd  element  has  been  identified  and  checked.  The 
stencil  furnished  with  the  test  booklets  shows  exactly  where 
each  check  mark  should  be  made  thereby  saving  some  time  for 
the  person  who  marks  the  test.  Where  the  proper  element  has 
been  checked  and  the  check  mark  later  removed,  no  credit  should 
be  given.  Credit  should  only  be  given  where  the  final  judgment 
as  expressed  by  the  check  mark  corresponds  to  the  key  furnished 
with  the  booklets. 

A score  from  0 to  6 indicates  Inferior  Ability 


7 

“ 10 

“ Low  Average  Ability 

11 

“ 17 

“ Average  Ability 

18 

“ 20 

“ High  Average  Ability 

24 

“ Superior  Ability 

THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


137 


Mentimeter  No.  3 
MAZE  THREADING 


Nature  of  the  Test, 

A great  many  experiments  have  been  made  upon  different 
types  of  animals  to  determine  how  long  it  would  take  them  to 
learn  to  secure  their  food  by  going  through  an  unusual  “stunt” 
or  travelling  over  a circuitous  route.  Mice  have  been  taught, 
for  example,  to  travel  a long  distance  and  through  complicated 
mazes  to  secure  their  food,  which  is  in  such  cases  usually  placed 
at  the  centre  of  the  maze.  The  effectiveness  of  learning  to 
thread  a maze  as  a test  of  the  intellectual  capacity  of  the  lower 
animals  is  probably  not  superior  to  the  effectiveness  of  the  same 
sort  of  learning  as  a measure  of  the  intelligence  of  human  beings. 
It  is  not  possible,  however,  to  include  in  a book  the  long  passage- 
ways and  blind  alleys  which  would  necessarily  have  to  be  built 
out  of  pretty  substantial  material  in  order  to  keep  men  from 
breaking  over  its  sides,  but  the  idea  has  so  far  as  possible  been 
carried  out  in  the  tests  which  follow.  It  is  quite  certain  that 
the  ability  to  trace  through  a printed  maze  with  a pencil  is  not 
equal  to  the  ability  to  walk  through  a specially  constructed 
maze  of  steel,  but  it  is  as  near  the  same  problem  as  can  be  ar- 
ranged on  paper  and  printed  in  quantity. 

The  arrangement  of  mazes  in  this  member  of  the  Mentimeter 
family  is  such  that  the  number  of  mazes  successfully  threaded  is 
a distinct  indication  of  the  complexity  of  maze  which  the  individ- 
ual can  successfully  negotiate.  The  test  is  intended  to  measure 
the  ability  of  any  individual  whether  he  can  read  or  understand 
the  English  language  or  not.  If  the  two  examples  shown  on  the 
title  page  are  presented  on  a blackboard,  or  other  large  surface, 
the  test  may  very  easily  be  given  as  a group  test  by  a skilful 
examiner,  although  the  directions  which  follow  are  prepared  for 
the  examination  of  one  individual  at  a time. 


138 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

The  examiner  should  be  seated  at  a table  at  the  right  side 
of  the  candidate  to  be  examined.  He  should  first  of  all  secure 
the  information  regarding  the  candidate’s  name,  age,  and  other 
important  items,  and  should  then  exhibit  the  mazes  which  ap- 
pear inside  the  booklet,  pointing  from  one  to  the  other  in  the 
first  half  dozen.  Not  more  than  thirty  seconds  should  be  al- 
lowed for  this  part  of  the  instruction.  Turning  back  to  the  title 
page  the  examiner  should  point  to  the  first  example,  pointing 
first  at  the  entrance  and  then  to  the  exit.  By  a motion  at  each 
of  these  two  cardinal  points,  made  in  the  direction  in  which 
the  arrow  points,  he  should  make  it  clear  that  the  idea  is  to  move 
in  the  direction  indicated  by  the  arrows.  He  should  then  trace 
his  way  fairly  slowly  from  the  entrance  to  the  exit. 


Show  by  a line  how  you  would  pass  through  the  drawings 
below  without  touching  any  line 


Pointing  to  the  second  maze,  first  to  the  entrance  and  then 
to  the  exit,  the  examiner  should  again  signify  that  motion  is  to 
occur  at  these  two  points.  With  his  pencil  as  before  he  should 
trace  his  way  from  the  starting  point  to  the  finish,  making  not 
more  than  one  error,  which  he  should  correct  by  returning  over 
the  same  route  to  the  point  where  it  was  made  without  lifting 
the  pencil  from  the  paper. 

If  the  candidate  can  understand  the  English  language  the 
examiner  should  then  read  the  directions  above  the  examples. 
“Show  by  a line  how  you  would  pass  through  the  drawings 
below  without  touching  any  line.” 


Show  by  a line  how  you  would  pass  through  the  drawings 
below  without  touching  any  line 


139 


(over) 


Show  by  a line  how  you  would  pass  through  the  drawings 
below  without  touching  any  line 


140 


Show  by  a line  how  you  would  pass  througfh  the  drawings 
below  without  touching  any  line 


(over) 


141 


Show  by  a line  how  you  would  pass  through  the  drawings 
below  without  touching  any  line 


zo 


142 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


143 


The  examiner  should  then  open  the  booklet  and  give  it  to  the 
candidate  with  the  instruction  to  begin  at  number  1 and  trace 
his  way  from  the  starting  arrow  to  the  finish.  No  demonstra- 
tion should  be  made  on  the  mazes  which  appear  inside  the  book- 
let. 

Exactly  four  minutes  after  starting  the  test  the  examiner 
should  stop  the  candidate  and  remove  the  pencil. 

Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  total  score  in  this  test  is  the  number  of  mazes  correctly 
threaded  without  error.  Where  a line  has  been  crossed  through 
accident  or  unsteady  holding  of  the  pencil  no  penalty  should 
be  taken,  but  if  a line  has  been  crossed  and  not  recrossed  to 
correct  the  defect,  no  credit  should  be  given  for  that  particular 
maze.  Full  credit  should  be  given  for  the  maze  as  being  com- 
plete if  the  line  stops  at  a point  somewhat  before  reaching  the 
finish  arrow,  provided  there  is  a straight  path  from  the  end  of 
the  line  drawn  to  some  part  of  this  sign  of  the  exit. 

Scores  from  0 to  5 indicate  Inferior  Ability 


6 ‘ 

‘ 10 

“ Low  Average  Ability 

11  ‘ 

‘ 16 

“ Average  Ability 

17  ‘ 

‘ 18 

“ High  Average  Ability 

19  ‘ 

‘ 20 

“ Superior  Ability 

144 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Mentimeter  No.  4 
DOT  PATTERN  CORRECTION 
Nature  of  the  Test, 

The  ability  to  recognize  small  elements  of  discord  in  an  other- 
wise symmetrical  pattern  is  the  feature  which  this  test  is  planned 
to  measure.  The  test  is  very  simple,  even  the  most  diflScult 
elements  in  it  being  very  easy  of  solution.  A pattern  composed 
of  dots  is  presented,  one  dot  being  included  which  does  not  fit 
the  remainder  of  the  pattern.  The  candidate  is  required  to 
locate  this  extra  dot  in  each  pattern  and  to  draw  a circle  around 
it,  indicating  that  it  should  be  removed.  Although  an  attempt 
has  been  made  in  this  test  to  arrange  the  elements  in  the  order 
of  their  diflSculty,  the  last  one  in  the  series  is  so  simple  that  al- 
most any  one  can  locate  the  defect  in  a short  time.  For  this 
reason  the  test  will  not  have  wide  usefulness  except  as  a means  of 
diversion.  The  method  for  this  test  is  borrowed  directly  from 
the  work  of  Doctor  Pressey  of  Indiana  University. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

The  directions  herewith  presented  are  intended  to  be  used  by 
the  examiner  in  testing  one  foreign-speaking  individual  at  a 
time.  It  would  be  easily  possible  to  paint  on  the  wall  the  ex- 
amples given  on  the  title  page  or  to  put  them  on  a blackboard 
in  such  a manner  as  to  enable  the  examiner  to  test  quite  a large 
number  of  persons  at  the  same  time. 


Draw  a ringf  around  the  extra  dot 


• 

♦ • • 

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(D 

• • • 

• • 

• • • 

• • • 

• 

THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


145 


The  examiner  should  demonstrate  to  the  candidate  first  of  all 
the  nature  of  the  contents  of  the  booklet  and  then  should  take 
up  the  two  examples  appearing  on  the  front  page.  He  should 
trace  the  direction  of  the  different  lines  in  the  pattern  with  his 
pencil  (without  touching  the  point  of  the  pencil  to  the  paper) 
and  should  finally  draw  a small  circle  about  the  extra  dot.  After 
this  circle  has  been  drawn  it  would  be  suggestive  to  the  candi- 
date to  trace  out  again  the  pattern  of  the  example.  When  the 
candidate  seems  to  get  the  idea,  or  when  both  examples  have 
been  demonstrated,  he  should  be  given  a pencil  and  the  opened 
blank  with  directions  to  go  ahead.  Only  two  minutes  should  be 
allowed  for  this  work,  at  the  end  of  which  time  the  blanks  should 
be  taken  from  the  candidate  and  scored  according  to  the  following 
directions. 

Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  score  in  this  test  is  the  total  number  of  patterns  in  which 
the  extra  dot  has  been  correctly  pointed  out.  In  many  cases 
the  extra  dot  is  located  in  the  centre  of  the  pattern  so  that  there 
is  no  really  unsymmetrical  element  in  the  test,  but  this  should 
not  interfere  with  the  scoring.  The  stencil  provided  with  the 
test  booklets  makes  it  somewhat  simpler  to  score  than  it  would 
otherwise  be. 

Scores  from  0 to  8 indicate  Inferior  Ability 

9 “ 14  “ Low  Average  Ability 

“ 15  “ 20  “ Average  Ability 

“ of  21  or  more  indicate  High  Average  or  Superior 
Ability 

(see  next  pages  for  the  tests.) 


Draw  a ring  around  the  extra  dot 


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10  11  l2T 


146 


Draw  a ring  around  the  extra  dot 


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147 


148 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Mentimeter  No.  5 

DIVIDING  GEOMETRICAL  FIGURES 
Character  of  the  Test. 

This  test  is  very  easily  used  as  a group  test  with  people  who 
can  understand  spoken  English.  The  test  is  also  capable  of 
being  given  to  groups  of  illiterate  or  foreign-speaking  individ- 
uals, if  the  examples  used  in  the  explanation  are  painted  on  a 
large  blackboard  to  be  placed  in  the  front  of  the  room  in  full 
view  of  all  those  taking  the  examination.  In  the  absence  of 
such  a special  blackboard,  the  test  may  be  used  as  an  individual 
test  with  illiterate  or  foreign-speaking  persons. 

Fifteen  geometrical  figures,  such  as  squares,  circles,  triangles, 
and  the  like,  are  presented  on  three  pages  of  the  examination 
booklet.  To  the  left  of  each  figure  are  two  or  more  small  figures 
which,  when  properly  arranged,  form  the  large  figure  on  the 
right.  The  problem  of  the  candidate  is  to  draw  a line  or  several 
lines  in  the  large  figure  on  the  right  to  indicate  how  it  might  be 
divided  to  make  up  the  small  pieces  shown  on  the  left.  The 
first  figures  are  quite  simple  and  may  be  very  readily  done  by 
drawing  one  or  two  lines.  The  problems  on  the  third  page 
require  from  three  to  five  lines  to  be  drawn  and  are  distinctly 
more  dijQBcult  than  the  problems  appearing  on  the  previous 
pages. 

It  is  very  difficult  to  say  exactly  what  functions  of  the  mind 
are  measured  by  this  test.  The  greatest  difficulty  with  the 
test  is  that  a rather  high  minimum  of  intelligence  is  required  in 
order  to  understand  what  is  necessary  or  desired.  The  two 
examples  appearing  on  the  title  page  of  the  test  booklet  are  not 
sufficient  to  demonstrate  clearly  to  the  dull  person  just  what 
he  is  to  do.  It  is  probable  that  dull  people  will  succeed  very 
much  better  in  this  test  if  it  is  given  as  a test  for  foreigners, 
using  the  special  blackboard.  The  examiner  could,  in  that  case, 
draw  a line  with  chalk  to  show  what  is  expected.  The  printed 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


14S 


directions  on  the  test  blank  have  been  made  as  simple  as  pos- 
sible, but  they  are  not  wholly  satisfactory  for  the  lower  ranges 
of  intelligence. 

The  scoring  of  this  test  is  somewhat  more  difficult  than  for 
the  majority  of  the  other  Mentimeter  tests.  It  is  intended  that 
one  point  of  credit  shall  be  given  for  each  large  figure  properly 
divided.  The  difficulty  comes  in  being  sure  that  the  candidate 
has  intended  to  draw  his  lines  at  exactly  the  proper  place.  In- 
accuracy may  be  the  result  of  not  knowing  where  the  lines  should 
be  placed,  or  it  may  be  the  result  of  careless  execution.  If  a 
line  is  misplaced  through  careless  execution,  when  it  is  perfectly 
clear  that  the  right  idea  was  present  in  the  candidate’s  mind, 
full  credit  should  be  given  for  that  element  of  the  test.  If  it  is 
not  certain  that  the  candidate  understood  where  the  line  should 
be  drawn,  no  credit  should  be  given  for  that  particular  figure. 

The  stencils,  which  are  supplied  with  each  package  of  test 
booklets,  should  be  placed  to  the  left  of  the  five  geometrical 
figures  and  comparison  should  be  made  between  the  dotted 
lines  of  the  stencil  and  the  marks  made  by  the  candidate  in  the 
corresponding  figure  on  the  examination  sheet.  In  the  first 
square,  for  example,  full  credit  should  be  given  whether  the  line 
is  drawn  horizontally  or  vertically  through  the  figure.  The 
important  thing  is  that  two  equal  rectangles  should  be  created 
by  drawing  a single  line.  Similarly,  for  each  other  figure,  the 
important  point  to  be  considered  is  whether  or  not  the  lines 
drawn  do  form  the  geometrical  figures  shown  on  the  left.  A 
little  practice  will  make  it  possible  for  the  clerk  who  scores 
these  tests  to  lay  aside  the  key  itself  and  to  carry  it  in  memory. 

Various  forms  of  this  test  have  been  used  by  psychologists 
for  a number  of  years,  although  its  most  extensive  use  was  in  the 
Beta  series  of  the  United  States  Army.  The  same  test  in  modi- 
fied form  was  used  by  Prof.  E.  L.  Thorndike  in  his  tests  of 
mental  alertness  in  the  air  service.  Many  individuals  were 
found  who  could  do  this  test  fairly  well  without  being  able  to 
succeed  with  some  of  the  others  which  were  supposedly  equally 


150 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


as  good  for  general  purposes.  On  the  other  hand,  many  in- 
dividuals of  good  general  ability  were  found  who  seemed  lacking 
in  the  particular  type  of  ability  necessary  properly  to  divide 
these  geometrical  figures.  On  the  whole,  however,  the  more 
intelligent  men  made  higher  scores  than  the  less  intelligent  men. 
Such  low  relationship  between  this  particular  test  and  other 
tests  of  intelligence  makes  it  particularly  useful  as  one  of  a series 
to  be  used  for  measuring  the  intelligence  of  men  entering  cer- 
tain mechanical  trades  where  the  recognition  of  the  size  and 
shape  of  objects  is  of  prime  importance.  Draftsmen,  architects, 
supply  clerks,  and  candidates  for  similar  positions  would  prob- 
ably be  rated  more  accurately  by  this  test  than  would  writers, 
musicians,  and  academic  students. 

In  the  public  schools  such  a test  might  give  some  indication 
of  the  ability  of  children  to  succeed  in  mechanical  or  mathe- 
matical courses  of  study.  In  social  gatherings,  a great  deal  of 
amusement  might  be  found  by  giving  prizes  to  the  individuals 
completing  the  entire  fifteen  figures  correctly  and  in  the  shortest 
time.  It  would  seem  desirable,  however,  to  omit  the  time 
limit  when  it  is  used  for  pure  entertainment  and  to  measure  with 
a stop-watch  the  exact  amount  of  time  required  for  the  individ- 
ual. When  all  had  finished  the  fifteen  elements  of  the  test,  the 
papers  could  be  checked  up  for  accuracy  and  the  prize  could  be 
given  to  the  one  who  had  finished  correctly  in  the  shortest  length 
of  time.  This  will  add  an  element  of  interest  for  it  is  quite  cer- 
tain that  some  of  those  who  finished  first  will  have  made  errors, 
probably  through  careless  execution,  and  that  someone  who 
finished  later  in  the  game  will  have  drawn  each  line  correctly. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test, 
a.  As  an  individual  test. 

The  individual  to  be  tested  should  be  seated  at  the  left  side 
of  the  examiner  at  a convenient  table.  The  examiner  should 
show  the  inside  of  the  test  blank  to  the  candidate  and  should 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  151 

then  point  to  the  similar  figures  in  the  explanation  on  the  title 
page  of  the  booklet.  He  should  then  point  to  the  large  figure 


in  the  first  example,  possibly  tracing  its  outline  with  his  pencil. 
Then  the  attention  of  the  candidate  should  be  called  to  the 
parts  appearing  on  the  left-hand  side.  (Their  outlines  may  be 
traced  if  it  seems  desirable.)  Next,  a movement  should  be  made 
with  the  hand  as  though  one  were  placing  the  parts  upon  the 
larger  figure.  This  may  be  repeated  two  or  three  times,  pointing 
first  to  the  various  parts  in  order  and  then  to  the  large  figure 
with  a rather  broad  sweep  of  the  hand.  After  such  a study  of 
the  situation,  the  examiner  should  draw  the  proper  line  and 
exhibit  a smile  of  pleasure  at  having  successfully  done  the  thing. 
He  should  point  then  to  the  parts  of  the  large  figure  which  are 
thus  created  and  by  jumping  his  pencil  from  one  of  the  parts 
to  the  corresponding  part  on  the  left,  he  may  fairly  clearly  dem- 
onstrate that  he  has  constructed,  by  his  line,  elements  which 
are  similar  to  the  elements  appearing  at  the  left. 

Similar  pantomime  may  be  used  for  the  second  example,  pos- 


152 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


sibly  introducing  a variation  by  getting  a line  incorrectly  drawn 
at  the  first  trial,  erasing  it  as  soon  as  it  is  apparent  that  the  parts 
do  not  correspond  exactly  with  the  parts  appearing  in  the  prob- 
lem, and  redrawing  the  line  so  that  the  correspondence  will  be 
exact.  The  pencil  should  then  be  handed  to  the  candidate  and 
the  pamphlet  opened  up  for  him  to  begin  work.  The  candidate 
should  be  allowed  to  work  for  four  minutes  with  occasional 
signals  to  “Go  ahead,”  “Work  fast”  or  “Hurry  up.” 

h.  As  a group  test  for  illiterate  candidates. 

A blackboard  containing  the  two  examples  should  be  placed 
in  full  view  of  all  the  candidates  in  the  room.  The  test  blanks 
should  be  passed  to  the  candidates,  with  well-sharpened  pencils 
or  pens  and  ink.  The  examiner  should  then  hold  up  in  full  view 
of  the  group  a test  blank  showing  the  three  pages  of  figures  on 
which  they  are  to  work.  He  should  then  get  the  attention  of 
everyone  to  the  work  by  saying  “Look”  or  “Watch.”  With  a 
piece  of  chalk,  he  should  then  go  through  the  pantomime  de- 
scribed above  for  giving  the  examination  to  an  individual.  Care 
should  be  taken  that  none  of  the  brighter  candidates  begins  work 
before  the  signal  for  everyone  to  work.  When  the  two  ex- 
amples have  been  thoroughly  demonstrated  on  the  blackboard* 
the  examiner  may  turn  to  the  group,  open  up  his  test  blank,  and 
point  to  the  first  page  of  work  to  be  done  and  say,  “Begin  here,” 
“Go  ahead,”  “Work  fast.”  At  the  end  of  four  minutes,  he 
should  call  “Stop,”  should  collect  all  papers,  making  certain  as 
he  does  so  that  some  identification  mark  is  present  on  the  paper 
to  show  to  which  candidate  it  belongs.  No  special  explanation 
should  be  given  and  no  person  in  the  group  should  be  allowed 
to  sit  idle  while  the  examination  is  going  on.  If  it  is  clear  that 
the  individual  has  not  understood,  the  examiner  may  say,  “Do 
what  I did,”  pointing  to  the  board  and  then  to  the  paper.  In- 
dividuals may  be  told  during  the  course  of  the  examination,  if 
they  seem  to  be  doing  nothing,  to  “Make  your  marks.” 

c.  As  a group  test  for  candidates  who  can  read  English. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


153 


Place  each  candidate  at  a table  or  chair  with  a writing  sur- 
face, supply  him  with  a test  blank  and  pencil  or  other  writing 
instrument.  While  the  candidates  are  being  supplied,  the  ex- 
aminer should  make  the  following  statement:  “Do  not  open 

this  booklet  until  you  are  told  to  do  so.  I shall  make  explana- 
tions as  soon  as  everybody  is  supplied.” 

Wdien  all  are  ready,  the  examiner  should  hold  up  a copy  of  the 
test  and  speak  as  follows:  “There  are  three  pages  of  work  to  be 
done.  The  page  before  you  shows  two  samples  of  the  kind  of 
thing  you  are  to  do.  You  will  notice  at  the  right  a large  figure 
and  at  the  left  several  small  figures.  When  properly  placed  to- 
gether, these  small  figures  will  make  one  of  the  large  figures  at 
the  right.  You  are  to  draw  a line,  or  several  lines,  through  the 
large  figure  at  the  right  in  such  a way  as  to  make  of  it  the  small 
figures  at  the  left. 

“ Now  look  at  the  examples  before  you.  Is  there  any  one  who 
does  not  see  what  line  ought  to  be  drawn  in  order  to  make  the 
large  figure  show  the  pieces  which  appear  at  its  left.?  You 
will  have  four  minutes  in  which  to  do  the  work  on  the  three 
pages.  Work  quickly,  but  be  sure  to  draw  your  lines  correctly. 
If  you  complete  the  fifteen  figures  before  I call  ‘Stop,’  look  back 
over  your  work  to  see  that  you  have  made  no  mistakes.” 

If  any  candidate  signifies  that  he  does  not  understand,  the 
examiner  might  draw  an  imaginary  line  with  his  hand  to  show 
the  direction  in  which  the  line  should  be  drawn  in  order  to  divide 
the  figure  properly.  As  soon  as  it  is  certain  that  everyone 
understands  how  to  divide  the  sample  figure,  the  examiner 
should  say:  “Now  work  rapidly  and  draw  your  lines  on  the  next 
three  pages.”  The  time  limit  of  four  minutes  should  be  fol- 
lowed exactly. 

Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  examination  score,  if  each  figure  of  the  series  is  correctly 
divided,  will  be  fifteen  points.  The  stencils  give  but  one  solu- 
tion to  each  problem  although  solutions  are  possible  in  prac- 


Make  the  small  figures  by  drawing  lines  in  the  large  one. 


154 


Make  the  small  figures  by  drawing  lines  in  the  large  one. 


155 


(over 


Make  the  small  figures  by  drawing  lines  in  the  large  ones, 


6°^ 

^ ' N 

M< 

_n 

156 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


157 


tically  every  case  by  drawing  the  same  lines  in  a different 
direction.  The  angle  or  direction  is  unimportant  and  there  is 
no  need  that  the  lines  drawn  by  the  candidate  correspond  exactly 
in  this  respect  with  the  lines  on  the  stencil.  The  important 
thing  is  to  see  that  the  proper  lines  are  drawn  to  make  the 
necessary  parts.  The  final  score  obtained  by  counting  the 
number  of  figures  in  which  lines  are  properly  drawn  should  be 
entered  at  the  lower  right-hand  corner  of  the  title  page  of  the 
booklet. 


0 to 

2 indicate 

Inferior  Ability 

3 “ 

5 

Low  Average  Ability 

6 “ 

10 

Average  Ability 

11  “ 

13 

High  Average  Ability 

14  “ 

15  “ 

Superior  Ability 

In  interpreting  these  results,  it  should  be  recalled  that 
inferior  ability  in  this  line  of  work  may  be  found  in  individuals 
who  have  average  ability  in  some  other  intellectual  fields.  This 
test  should  not  be  used  extensively  until  it  has  been  proven  to 
have  a high  degree  of  relationship  with  the  characteristics  re- 
quired in  the  group  for  which  it  is  used  as  a selecting  agency. 


Mentimeter  No.  6 
COMPLETION  OF  FORM  SERIES 
Character  of  the  Test. 

The  Completion  test  is  always  very  satisfactory  because  it 
shows  in  itself  just  what  should  be  done  and  does  not  require  a 
great  deal  of  special  explanation.  The  Form-Series  Com- 
pletion test  is  particularly  valuable  in  that  it  does  not  depend 
upon  the  English  language  either  in  its  content  or  in  the  expla- 
nations to  be  made  of  it. 

As  with  the  majority  of  the  other  tests  for  non-English-speak- 
ing persons  this  test  is  here  described  as  a test  of  one  individual 


158 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


at  a time,  although  it  will  be  found  very  simple  and  easy  to  test 
a large  group  at  the  same  time  if  the  examples  which  appear  on 
the  title  page  of  the  test  booklet  can  be  painted  on  the  wall  or 
reproduced  on  a blackboard  in  such  a way  that  the  examiner 
can  demonstrate  to  everyone  at  once  just  what  is  to  be  done. 
It  is  very  desirable  to  examine  large  groups  at  the  same  time 
if  the  provision  for  such  demonstration  can  be  made. 

Previous  Form-Series  Completion  tests  have  required  the 
candidate  to  fill  in  the  last  characters  of  each  line,  everything 
being  printed  in  order  up  to  within  a few  sections  of  the  end. 
The  present  form,  in  which  the  elisions  are  distributed  through 
the  series  rather  than  being  grouped  at  the  end,  has  the  ad- 
vantage that  it  may  be  made  more  difficult  by  far  than  the 
previous  forms.  Although  this  test  probably  measures  a rather 
specialized  type  of  intellectual  ability,  it  is  nevertheless  suffi- 
ciently well  graduated  in  difficulty  so  that  the  result  obtained  by 
it  will  show  a close  relationship  to  the  result  obtained  in  other 
more  general  tests. 

The  problem  of  the  candidate  who  is  given  this  test  is  chiefly 
that  of  solving,  from  the  rather  meagre  data  presented,  just 
what  the  serial  order  of  the  different  forms  may  be.  This  un- 
doubtedly calls  for  a complex  variety  of  special  mental  qualities, 
including  imagination  and  abstract  reasoning  ability.  Never- 
theless, it  is  hardly  possible  for  the  authors  to  make  any  sort 
of  estimate  of  just  where  this  test  will  be  most  valuable  or  just 
what  it  measures.  It  will  certainly  be  interesting  and  enter- 
taining whether  it  works  out  to  have  any  particular  usefulness  or 
not. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

The  candidate  should  be  seated  at  the  left  of  the  examiner  in 
order  that  he  may  conveniently  work  upon  the  test  booklet 
which  should  be  placed  on  a table  between  them.  After  filling 
out  for  the  candidate  the  information  blanks  giving  name,  age, 
and  the  like,  the  examiner  should  show  for  fifteen  or  twenty 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


159 


seconds  (not  more  than  20  seconds)  the  inside  of  the  booklet. 
He  should  then  turn  back  to  the  title  page  and  demonstrate  the 
nature  of  the  test  by  means  of  the  examples  printed  there. 


|/ral3HUl3|  /l2l3liUl3l/Ul  3|  jU|3|7U|3|/|zI?|/TI1 


IXI-I  Ilxl-I  I|X|H  /Ixl- 


iinBnEaHfiBBniaBnBe 


Probably  the  best  and  most  effective  method  of  demonstra- 
tion is  that  of  “jumping”  the  pencil  rhythmically  from  one  block 
to  the  next  corresponding  one  to  show  the  rhythmic  sequence  of 
the  same  symbols.  When  a block  is  reached  in  which  the 
symbol  has  been  omitted  (but  in  which  the  samples  have  been 
crudely  marked  with  a fine  pen),  the  examiner  should  make  an 
appropriate  heavy  mark  such  as  is  used  in  the  printed  sections 
of  each  series.  After  any  symbol  has  been  written  on  the  ex- 
planation samples  it  would  be  very  much  worth  while  to  skip 
rhythmically  along  the  line  making  certain  that  the  sequence  is 
correctly  followed.  When  it  seems  fairly  certain  that  the 
candidate  has  grasped  the  rhythmic  nature  of  the  forms,  the  ex- 
aminer should  open  the  booklet,  give  him  a pencil,  and  say 
“Put  them  in.”  “Fix  it  up.”  “Go  ahead.” 

Allow  exactly  five  minutes  for  this  work.  At  the  end  of  this 
time  the  examiner  should  take  the  paper  and  score  it  as  directed 
below. 

Directions  for  Scoring  the  Ted. 

The  score  in  this  test  is  determined  by  the  number  of  lines  in 
whieh  the  candidate  has  entered  the  correct  forms  to  complete 
the  line  perfeetly.  No  credit  should  be  given  if  any  one  of  the 
sections  remain  unfilled  or  be  filled  incorrectly.  The  stencil 
which  is  furnished  with  the  test  booklets  makes  the  task  of 


160 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 

Fill  in  the  missing  forms 


X 

0 

X 

0 

K 

0 

X 

0 

0 

X 

0 

X 

X 

0 

X 

0 

X 

o 

X 

0 

X 

0 

— 

\ 

— 

1 

5 

- 

1 

- 

\ 

1 

- 

1 

- 

— 

1 

- 

\ 

- 

1 

X 

— 

1 

X 

- 

« 

- 

1 

X 

— 

X 

1 

1 

— 

\ 

X 

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1 

X 

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1 

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1 

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1 

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I 

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11 

X 

111 

1 

11 

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V 

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V 

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V 

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marking  the  errors  very  much  simpler  than  it  is  without  such  aid. 
The  total  score  obtained  should  be  entered  in  the  lower  right- 
hand  corner  of  the  title  page  of  the  booklet. 

Scores  from  0 to  2 indicate  Inferior  Ability 

“ “ 3 “ 5 “ Low  Average  Ability 

“ “ 6 “ 12  “ Average  Ability 

“ “ 13  “ 15  “ High  Average  Ability 

“ “ 16  “ 20  “ Superior  Ability 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  161 

Mentimeter  No.  7 

CHECKING  IDENTITY  OF  NUMBERS 
Character  of  the  Test. 

Bank  tellers  and  other  clerical  workers  find  it  necessary  very 
frequently  to  compare  signatures  or  numerical  figures  as  to 
identity.  A test  might  be  arranged  in  which  it  was  necessary 
for  an  individual  to  compare  several  sets  of  numbers  all  of  the 
same  length  and  general  appearance.  Such  a test  would,  how- 
ever, resolve  itself  very  largely  into  a test  of  speed.  The  present 
form  attempts  to  eliminate  some  of  the  speed  element  and  to 
take  to  itself  as  much  as  possible  of  the  quality  of  measuring  the 
complexity  which  is  necessary  to  cause  an  error  in  the  recogni- 
tion of  identity.  There  are  thirty  numbers  to  be  compared  with 
another  list  of  thirty  in  a parallel  column.  The  first  numbers 
have  only  two  digits  but  the  number  of  digits  is  increased  fairly 
regularly  until  in  the  last  pairs  elevCTi  digits  in  one  column 
must  be  compared  with  the  eleven  digits  in  another. 

This  test  is  probably  as  useful  a measure  of  ability  to  notice 
small  details  as  it  is  necessary  to  make.  The  chief  objection  to 
it  will  come  from  individuals  who  are  not  gifted  by  nature  with  the 
ability  to  think  in  terms  of  numbers.  This  objection  is  not  serious 
and  will  not  be  as  valid  even  in  their  own  cases  as  those  who  make 
it  are  inclined  to  believe.  The  test  may  be  given  as  a group  test 
if  some  means  be  provided  for  demonstrating  before  the  entire 
group  at  one  time  just  what  type  of  activity  is  wanted.  The  direc- 
tions given  below  are  for  giving  the  test  as  an  individual  examina- 
tion, but  with  slight  modifications  the  same  directions  will  serve 
quite  well  for  group  examination.  It  is  not  necessary,  of  course, 
for  the  candidates  to  understand  the  English  language  if  the 
examiner  is  thoroughly  effective  in  his  pantomimic  instructions. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

As  soon  as  the  proper  record  has  been  made  of  the  age,  the 
name,  and  location  of  the  individual  being  examined,  the  ex- 


162 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


aminer  may  turn  the  test  leaflet  and  exhibit  the  two  columns  of 
numbers  which  appear  on  the  other  side.  This  exhibition 
should  not  be  made  formally  and  should  last  not  more  than 
twenty  seconds.  The  pamphlet  should  then  again  be  placed 
title  page  up  in  front  of  the  candidate. 

The  examiner  should  then  compare  the  identity  of  the  num- 
bers in  the  first  example.  The  best  way  to  do  this  would  be  to 


1ST 

COLUMN 


2nd 

COLUMN 


SAME  DIFFERENCE 


356  ...  356  □ . . A 

738  ...  758  ..  □ . . □ . . B 


point  first  at  the  3 in  the  first  column  then  at  the  corresponding 
3 in  the  second  column,  nodding  his  head,  “Yes.”  The  same 
pointing  from  one  column  to  the  other  should  be  done  for  5 and 
for  6,  the  second  column  part  of  the  pointing  to  be  accompanied 
in  each  case  by  nodding  the  head,  “Yes.”  As  a summary  of  this 
first  example,  the  examiner  may  place  his  hand  over  the  entire 
three  digits  of  the  first  column  and  then  transfer  it  to  the  entire 
three  digits  of  the  second  column  and  nod  his  head,  “Yes,”  mak- 
ing merely  a check  mark  (|/)  on  that  horizontal  line  under  the 
word,  “same.”  With  the  second  example  the  same  sort  of  pan- 
tomime may  be  used  until  5 in  the  second  column  has  been 
compared  with  3 in  the  first  column,  which  should  be  accom- 
panied by  a shaking  of  the  head  and  the  verbal  exclamation, 
“No,  no!”  The  summary  by  means  of  placing  the  hand  over 
738  and  then  over  758,  with  another,  “No,  no,”  may  be  omitted 
if  it  is  quite  clear  that  the  candidate  has  grasped  the  idea.  In 
either  case  the  examiner  should  make  the  check  mark  under  the 
word  “different.”  The  sheet  may  then  be  turned  and  the  pencil 
handed  to  the  candidate  with  the  direction  “Go  ahead.  Mark 
them  all.”  Exactly  two  minutes  should  be  allowed  after  saying, 
“Go  ahead.”  Atthe  end  of  two  minutes  the  paper  should  be  taken 
by  the  examiner  and  scored  according  to  the  following  directions. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


163 


If  the  numbers  in  the  second  column  correspond  exactly  with 
those  on  the  same  line  in  the  first  column,  make  a check  mark 
in  the  square  on  that  line  under  the  word  “Same.”  If  the  sec- 
ond set  on  any  line  differs  in  any  way  from  the  first,  check  that 
line  under  the  word  “Different.*’ 


1st 

2nd 

DLUMN  COLUMN 

96  . . . 

96.  . . 

83  . . . 

88.  . . 

77  . . . 

71.  . . 

33  . . . 

35.  . . 

82  . . . 

82.  . . 

641  . . 

644  . . 

956  . . 

956  . . 

507  . . 

507  . . 

9572  . . 

9752  . . 

1832  . . 

1832  . . 

19560  . . 

19360.  . 

94083  . . 

94083.  . 

940817 

940847  . 

329506 

326506  . 

654938  . 

654938  . 

6998701  . 

6997801  . 

7105923  . 

7105623  . 

2501036  . 

2500136  . 

3674462  . 

3674462  . 

61558543  . 

61585543. 

38910066  . 

39810066. 

17198591  . 

17198591. 

685342017 

685342017 

317762849 

317762849 

102435867 

102435867 

3484657120 

3484657210 

4686726631 

4686726631 

6571018034 

6571018034 

38797625147  38797652147 
26557239164  26557239164 


SAME 

DIFFER- 

ENT 

LINE 

NO. 

□'  . 

. □ . 

. 1 

n • 

■ □'  . 

. 2 

□ . 

■ & . 

. 3 

□ . 

. □'  . 

. 4 

□ ■ 

■ □ . 

. 5 

□ • 

. □ . 

. 6 

□ ■ 

• □ . 

. 7 

n • 

• □ • 

. 8 

□ . 

. 9 

□ . 

• □ ■ 

.10 

□ ■ 

.11 

□ . 

• □ . 

.12 

□ . 

.13 

□ . 

• □ . 

.14 

□ . 

• □ • 

.15 

□ • 

. D' . 

.16 

□ ■ 

. 

.17 

□ • 

• □ . 

.18 

□ . 

• □ • 

.19 

□ . 

.20 

□ . 

. 

.21 

D • 

• Q . 

.22 

,□  ■ 

• □ . 

.23 

□ . 

• □ • 

.24 

□ . 

• □ . 

.25 

□ . 

■ D- . 

.26 

□ . 

• □ . 

.27 

□ . 

• □ • 

.28 

□ . 

• □ . 

.29 

□ . 

■ □ . 

.30 

164 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  score  in  this  test  is  the  total  number  of  pairs  the  identity 
of  which  has  been  correctly  checked,  minus  the  total  number  of 
pairs  in  which  an  error  has  been  made  in  checking  the  identity. 
For  example,  if  the  last  line  checked  was  the  twenty-fifth  line 
while  two  lines  had  been  omitted  and  errors  had  been  made  in 
checking  three  other  lines,  then  only  twenty  lines  had  been 
checked  correctly,  and  three  lines  had  been  checked  incorrectly; 
so  the  resulting  score  would  be  seventeen  points.  The  maxi- 
mum score  obtainable  is  of  course  thirty  points  and  will  be 
obtained  only  in  case  every  pair  has  been  checked  without  error. 
It  is  possible  with  this  method  of  scoring  to  obtain  a score 
less  than  zero;  for  example,  if  a person  had  checked  correctly 
ten  of  the  identities  and  had  made  errors  in  checking  fifteen 
others,  the  number  of  “rights”  minus  the  number  of  “wrongs” 
would  be  minus  five.  In  such  cases  the  score  to  be  entered  on 
the  lower  right-hand  corner  of  the  candidate’s  title  page  is 
zero. 

The  stencil  furnished  with  the  test  leaflets  makes  it  possible 
to  mark  this  test  with  great  rapidity  and  without  mental  fa- 
tigue. The  point  at  which  care  needs  to  be  taken  is  in  making 
certain  that  the  total  score,  computed  by  subtracting  the 
number  wrong  from  the  number  right,  is  correct.  For  this 
reason  the  reader  is  advised  to  cross  out  the  “line  number”  of 
any  pair  incorrectly  checked  and  to  draw  a circle  around  the 
“line  number”  of  any  pair  not  attempted  by  the  candidate.  If 
this  is  done  consecutively  down  the  page,  there  will  be  little 
difficulty  in  calculating  the  total  score. 


Scores  from  0 to  8 
“ “ 9 “ 12 

“ “ 13  “22 

“ “ 23  “26 

“ “ 27  “ 30 


indicate  Inferior  Ability 

“ Low  Average  Ability 
“ Average  Ability 
“ High  Average  Ability 
“ Superior  Ability 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


165 


Mentimeter  No.  8 
DIGIT-SYMBOL  SUBSTITUTION 
Character  of  the  Test. 

Ability  to  master  a language  is  usually  very  closely  related  to 
general  intellectual  ability  along  academic  or  abstract  lines. 
The  relationship  between  the  age  at  which  a child  begins  to  talk 
and  the  length  of  time  required  later  by  the  same  child  to  learn 
to  use  a foreign  language  would  probably  be  found  fairly  close. 

The  Digit-Symbol  test  has  been  used  rather  extensively  and 
for  many  years  as  a form  of  measuring  the  ability  of  an  individ- 
ual to  learn  a new  method  of  expressing  himself.  Many  ex- 
perimenters have  used  a Letter-Symbol  test  rather  than  the 
Digit-Symbol,  but  there  seems  to  be  little  difference  in  the 
character  of  the  results  obtained. 

The  Mentimeter  form  of  the  test  follows  quite  closely  the 
corresponding  test  in  the  Beta  series  used  in  the  Army.  At  the 
top  of  the  page  there  appears  a key  showing  just  what  symbol 
should  be  used  to  indicate  each  number  or  digit.  The  test  itself 
consists  of  100  digits  with  empty  squares  appearing  below  them 
in  which  one  is  to  write,  beneath  each  digit,  its  corresponding 
symbol  as  shown  by  the  key  on  pages  166  and  167.  An  intelli- 
gent person  usually  begins  with  the  first  digit  and  supplies  the 
proper  symbol  for  it  at  each  place  it  occurs  in  the  test;  then 
begins  with  the  second  digit  and  goes  through  the  entire  test 
writing  the  symbol  for  it,  and  so  on.  Those  of  average  in- 
telligence more  frequently  try  to  supply  the  proper  symbol  for 
each  different  digit  in  order  as  they  appear  in  the  test  without 
going  through  the  entire  test  with  each  symbol  separately.  The 
method  of  the  candidate  in  doing  the  work  should  not,  however, 
be  allowed  to  influence  the  rating  obtained  on  the  test,  except  as 
one  method  may  produce  a higher  score  than  another. 

Investigations  which  have  been  made  seem  to  show  that  al- 
though the  symbols  used  are  quite  distinctly  more  difficult  to 


16G 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


write  than  the  digits  themselves  would  be,  it  is  nevertheless  a 
better  test  to  measure  the  number  of  symbols  the  candidate  can 
write  under  the  digits  than  to  measure  the  number  of  digits  one 
could  write  correctly  under  their  corresponding  symbols.  The 
relationship  between  ability  in  this  test  and  general  ability  to 
handle  ideas  and  abstract  notions  is  rather  remarkably  close.  It 
is  probable,  however,  that  if  the  test  were  lengthened  so  as  to 
require  five  or  ten  minutes  rather  than  two  and  one  half  minutes 
the  correspondence  with  intellectual  ability  would  be  increased. 

This  test  will  be  very  useful  to  employers  seeking  high-grade 
clerical  service  and  probably  in  selecting  administrative  or 
supervisory  oflScers.  In  the  public  schools  it  will  be  useful  in 
some  instances  in  classifying  pupils  for  instruction.  As  a 
diversion  in  the  home  or  social  group  it  will  have  slight  value- 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

This  test  has  ordinarily  been  given  as  a test  of  several  in- 
dividuals at  the  same  time.  It  is  probable  that  it  will  not  be  as 
useful  when  given  to  one  individual  at  a time  as  when  used  as  a 
group  test.  The  instructions  are  given  here,  however,  as  with 
the  remainder  of  the  tests  for  non-English- speaking  persons, 
with  the  needs  of  examining  foreigners  individually  uppermost 
in  mind.  By  reproducing  on  the  blackboard  or  on  a wall  chart 
the  introductory  examples  one  may  adapt  with  almost  no  change 

Key:  This  shows  the  mark  for  each  number 


1 

2 

A 

4 

5 

— 

N 

□ 

_L 

U 

Make  under  each  number  the  mark  which  should  be  there 


5 

1 

2 

6 

3 

1 

4 

3 

1 

4 

5 

2 

3 

4 

2 

U 

N 

U 

THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


167 


the  method  of  administration  here  described  so  that  it  will  work 
equally  well  with  a group.  It  is  advisable  to  prepare  such  in- 


Key;  This  shows  the  mark  for  each  number 


[F 

3 

4 

5 

[T 

8 

9 

— 

\K 

L 

u. 

1^ 

[A 

X 

= 

Make  under  each  number  the  mark  which  should  be  there 


troductory  charts  and  to  give  the  tests  as  group  tests  rather  than 
as  individual  tests,  not  only  with  the  Digit-Symbol  Substitution 
test  but  also  with  the  other  Mentime^ers  numbered  from  2 to  10. 
The  individual  to  be  tested  should  be  shown  the  page  on  which 


168 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


he  is  to  work,  for  not  more  than  twenty  seconds,  and  should 
then  be  shown  the  two  examples  appearing  on  the  title  page 
under  the  printed  instructions,  “ Make  under  each  number  the 
mark  which  should  be  there.”  The  examiner  should  then 
compare  his  key  and  the  digits  appearing  in  the  sample  series  and 
should  write  in  the  proper  spaces  the  appropriate  symbols.  The 
idea  of  getting  the  symbol  from  a key  will  be  emphasized  and 
made  clear  if  the  examiner  at  each  point  moves  his  finger  or 
pencil  from  the  digit  in  the  example  to  the  digit  in  the  key,  then 
to  the  symbol  in  the  key  and  back  to  the  empty  space  beneath 
the  digit  in  the  example.  When  all  the  spaces  of  the  example 
have  been  filled  (this  should  be  done  very  slowly  at  first  and  then 
more  rapidly  toward  the  end  of  the  example),  the  examiner 
should  open  the  booklet,  supply  a pencil,  and  say,  “Now!  Go 
ahead!  Put  them  in!  Hurry  up!” 

Exactly  two  and  one  half  minutes  (150  seconds)  should  be 
allowed  from  the  time  the  examiner  says,  “Go  ahead,”  to  the 
time  he  calls,  “ Stop ! ” All  papers  should  be  closed  immediately 
and  handed  to  the  examiner. 


Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  score  in  this  test  is  the  number  of  symbols  correctly 
supplied.  Marking  the  errors  is  very  much  simplified  by  the 
use  of  the  stencils  furnished  with  each  package  of  test  booklets. 
The  number  of  symbols  correctly  written  should  be  recorded  at 
the  end  of  each  line  in  the  test  and  the  total  for  all  lines  should  be 
entered  in  the  lower  right-hand  corner  of  the  title  page  of  the 
booklet. 


0 to 

20  indicate 

Inferior  Ability 

21  “ 

35  “ 

Low  Average  Ability 

36  “ 

65 

Average  Ability 

66  “ 

75 

High  Average  Ability 

76  “ 

100 

Superior  Ability 

THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


169 


Mentimeter  No.  9 

COMPLETION  OF  NUMBER  RELATION  SERIES 
Character  of  the  Test. 

This  test  may  be  given  to  any  individuals  or  groups  of  persons 
who  can  read  and  understand  the  arabic  numerals.  The  direc- 
tions furnished  herewith  are  for  the  measurement  of  a group 
rather  than  of  an  individual,  although  with  very  slight  mod- 
ifications in  instructions  the  test  leaflet  may  be  employed  in  an 
individual  psychological  examination.  The  title  page  of  the 
leaflet  contains  fairly  complete  directions  and  three  samples  of 
the  number  series  to  be  completed.  Persons  who  read  English 
readily  will  have  a distinct  advantage  over  those  who  must 
depend  upon  oral  instructions,  but  experience  has  shown  that, 
even  with  individuals  who  do  not  understand  the  English 
language,  it  is  possible  to  demonstrate  on  a blackboard,  using 
the  sample  exercises,  with  sufficient  clearness  to  enable  foreign- 
language-speaking  candidates  to  grasp  the  idea  of  the  work  to  be 
done.  No  comparisons  should  be  made,  however,  between 
results  obtained  by  oral  demonstration  and  results  obtained 
through  the  use  of  the  instructions  printed  below,  without 
making  allowances  for  the  differences  in  method  of  administra- 
tion. 

The  Number  Relation  Series  test  is  so  difficult  to  understand 
that  it  is  hardly  worth  while  to  employ  this  test  with  children 
below  ten  years  of  age  or  with  adults  whose  mental  capacity  is 
not  equal  to  or  better  than  that  of  the  ten-year-old  school  child. 
The  method  of  marking  the  test  is  quite  simple  when  one  is  sup- 
plied with  the  stencil  which  is  furnished  with  each  package  of 
test  blanks.  The  present  form  of  the  test  is  somewhat  different 
from  those  used  elsewhere  and  it  is  difficult  to  say  just  what 
phases  of  intellectual  or  mathematical  ability  are  measured  by 
it.  The  Army  intelligence  tests  included  a number  relation 
series  test,  so  arranged  that  the  last  two  numbers  in  each  series 


170 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


must  always  be  supplied  by  the  person  tested.  Dr.  Agnes 
Rogers,  in  her  study  of  the  prognostication  of  mathematical 
ability,  employed  a test  which  is  very  closely  related  to  the 
one  given  here.  Her  results  seem  to  show  that  this  form  of 
test  is  a splendid  measure  of  mathematical  capacity  in  high 
school  pupils. 

It  is  probable  that  this  test  will  have  very  little  usefulness 
in  the  selection  of  employees  in  general,  but  that  it  may  be 
found  valuable  in  discovering  within  an  organization  persons 
whose  mathematical  aptitude  would  make  them  very  useful 
in  positions  where  the  handling  of  figures  is  an  important  part 
of  the  employee’s  duty.  In  schools  the  chief  value  of  the  test 
will  probably  be  in  assisting  in  the  diagnosis  of  special  mathe- 
matical ability  or  lack  of  ability  among  pupils  entering  high 
school.  As  a game  for  social  amusement,  it  is  not  probable  that 
this  test  will  be  highly  popular,  except  among  those  who  are 
mathematically  inclined. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

Having  supplied  each  candidate  with  writing  materials  the 
examiner  should  announce  as  follows : 

“I  am  going  to  distribute  to  you  copies  of  a test  which  is  in- 
tended to  measure  certain  special  mental  capacities.  I shall 
pass  it  to  you  with  that  side  up  which  contains  the  directions. 
Do  not  turn  it  over  or  examine  the  20  problems  which  are  to  be 
solved.  Write  your  name  where  it  says  ‘Name’  and  fill  in 
the  other  blanks  on  the  title  page.” 

The  blanks  should  be  distributed,  taking  care  that  each  candi- 
date receives  the  blank  right  side  up  and  that  no  candidate  turns 
it  over  before  the  command  is  given  to  begin  work.  When 
names,  ages,  and  other  identifying  pieces  of  information  have 
been  entered  the  examiner  should  ask  the  candidates  to  look  at 
the  directions  carefully  while  he  reads  them  aloud. 

“The  other  side  of  this  sheet  has  20  series  of  figures,  one  or 
more  of  the  figures  from  each  series  being  left  out.  You  are  to 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


171 


look  carefully  at  each  series,  to  study  out  what  kind  of  a series 
it  is  and  then  to  write  on  the  dotted  lines  those  numbers  which 
have  been  omitted.  Look  at  the  following  samples. 

Write  on  each  blank  the  number  omitted 

2 4 6 8 10  ..  14  16  18  20  Sample  A 

16  11  7 . 211247  Sample  B 

2....  2232425  Sample  C 

“In  Sample  A each  number  is  obtained  from  the  previous 
number  by  adding  2 to  it;  therefore,  12  should  be  the  number  be- 
tween 10  and  14.  In  Sample  B,  each  number  is  obtained  from 
the  next  previous  number  by  subtracting  1 less  than  was  sub- 
tracted from  the  number  before  it — that  is,  5 is  subtracted  from 
16  to  obtain  11,  4 is  subtracted  from  11  to  obtain  7,  3 should 
then  be  subtracted  from  7 to  obtain  a 4 which  is  to  be  entered 
on  the  blank.  In  Sample  C,  every  other  number  is  a 2 and  there- 
fore the  second  blank  space  should  contain  a 2.  Between  the 
2’s  appear  numbers,  each  one  of  which  is  one  more  than  the  one 
which  preceded  it.  On  the  first  blank  in  Sample  C there  should 
be  a 1 in  order  to  carry  out  this  scheme.  ” 

“You  will  be  allowed  four  minutes  in  which  to  complete  the 
16  series.  Begin  with  the  first  and  complete  as  many  as  you 
possibly  can.  Ready!  Go!”  At  the  end  of  four  minutes 
after  saying  “Go”  the  examiner  should  call  “Stop!  Time  up! 
Give  me  your  papers.”  All  papers  should  be  collected  at  once. 

Unusual  care  will  need  to  be  taken  in  giving  this  test  to  avoid 
variations  in  the  directions  used  with  the  different  groups  ex- 
amined. In  ordei^  to  maintain  absolutely  comparable  test 
conditions,  no  variations  from  the  language  and  routine  given 
above  should  be  allowed. 


172 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Write  on  each  blank  the  number  omitted 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

7 

8 

9 

10 

Series 

1 

10 

12 

16 

18 

22 

24 

26 

28 

Series 

2 

12 

11 

10 

8 

7 

4 

3 

Series 

3 

1 

3 

7 

9 

11 

13 

15 

17 

Series 

4 

39 

37 

35 

33 

31 

29 

25 

23 

Series 

5 

4 

5 

7 

14 

19 

25 

32 

40 

Series 

6 

64 

_i_ 
1 6 

1 

4 

1 

2 

2 

8 

Series 

7 

8 

15 

29 

36 

43 

57 

64 

71 

Series 

8 

10 

. . 15 

16 

20 

21 

. . 26 

30 

31 

Series 

9 

2 

8 

10 

10 

20  10 

26 

Series 

10 

7 

. . 10 

11 

13 

14 

20 

Series 

11 

4 9 

16 

25 

. . 64 

81 

100 

Series 

12 

4 

7 

14  17 

77 

154 

Series 

13 

32 

. . 28 

29 

26 

27 

25 

Series 

14 

6 

10 

13 

15 

13 

10 

Series 

15 

60 

55 

. . 46 

45 

46 

48 

Series 

16 

Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  score  in  this  test  is  the  number  of  series  correctly  com- 
pleted regardless  of  the  number  of  blanks  in  the  series.  The 
maximum  score  obtainable  will  therefore  be  16  points.  The 
stencil  furnished  with  each  set  of  test  leaflets  will  make  it  very 
simple  to  count  the  number  of  series  correctly  completed.  A 
convenient  way  of  indicating  that  a series  is  not  correctly  com- 
pleted is  to  cross  out  the  serial  number  of  that  series.  To  in- 
dicate that  the  series  was  not  attempted  one  might  draw  a circle 
around  the  serial  number  of  that  series.  The  final  score  should 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  173 

be  entered  on  the  title  page  of  the  leaflet  in  the  lower  right-hand 
corner. 


Scores  from  0 to 


2 “ 
5 “ 
9 “ 
12  “ 


1 indicate  Inferior  Ability 
4 “ Low  Average  Ability 

8 “ Average  Ability 

11  “ High  Average  Ability 

16  “ Superior  Ability 


It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  type  of  ability  measured 
by  the  above  scores  is  not  necessarily  a true  indication  of  the 
general  efficiency  of  the  possessor. 

Mentimeter  No.  10 
ADDITION  TESTS 

Character  of  the  Tests. 

This  Mentimeter  is  composed  of  two  parts,  one  of  them 
measuring  the  difficulty  of  the  addition  problems  which  a can- 
didate can  solve,  and  being  therefore  a fairly  good  test  of  intel- 
ligence, the  other  measuring  the  speed  at  which  one  can  add 
fairly  easy  problems  and  therefore  having  less  relations  to  intel- 
lectual ability. 

Teachers  in  school  furnish  the  children  with  certain  informa- 
tion and  knowledge  or  guide  their  pupils  to  the  sources  from 
which  this  information  and  knowledge  may  be  obtained.  In 
Addition,  this  information  takes  the  form  of  “2  and  2 make 
4,”  ‘‘9  and  5 make  14”  and  such  sums.  The  instruction  also 
involves  such  things  as  how  to  carry  in  addition,  how  to  add 
when  a decimal  point  enters  into  the  calculation,  and  all  such 
problems.  The  teacher  also  undertakes  a somewhat  different 
task,  which  is  the  review  and  drilling  of  the  pupils  in  order  to 
make  the  combinations  which  have  been  explained  automatic 
in  the  minds  of  the  children.  It  is  not  sufficient  for  John  to 
know  that  “3  and  5 are  8,  ” but  he  must  be  able  to  write  or  say 


174  MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 

“8”  without  any  hesitation  whatever  when  3 and  5 are  to  b? 
added. 

In  order  to  test  the  extent  to  which  teachers  have  explained 
addition,  one  would  measure  the  pupils  with  a test  which  in- 
creased in  difficulty  from  the  first  problems  to  the  last,  under- 
taking to  determine  how  difficult  a problem  can  be  solved.  In 
order  to  test  the  rapidity  with  which  the  pupils  have  learned 
in  their  drill  exercises  to  make  the  different  combinations,  one 
would  measure  the  speed  with  which  they  can  make  the  simple 
combinations.  The  first  addition  test  which  is  given  on  page  175 
measures  the  extent  of  the  information  which  the  candidate  has 
gained,  while  the  second  measures  the  speed  which  the  candidate 
has  developed  by  drilling  upon  addition  problems. 

Teachers  in  the  public  schools  will  undoubtedly  wish  to 
measure  both  the  speed  with  which  their  pupils  do  simple  prob- 
lems as  a result  of  drill,  and  the  difficulty  of  the  problems  which 
the  child  can  solve  correctly  as  a result  of  instruction.  Of 
course  the  test  for  difficulty  of  problems  solved  is  not  abso- 
lutely independent  of  the  effect  of  drill,  although  it  is  relatively 
much  less  dependent  upon  drill  than  is  the  other  test. 

In  industrial  organizations  the  first  test  given  will  prob- 
ably be  found  most  useful,  while  in  social  groups  the  greatest 
amount  of  entertainment  will  probably  be  obtained  from  the 
second  test.  The  reliability  of  the  results  from  the  first  test  is 
very  much  higher  than  the  reliability  of  the  results  from  the 
second  test,  for  in  the  second  case  a difference  of  one  second  in 
time  allowed  may  make  as  much  as  one  or  two  points  difference 
in  the  score  obtained. 

As  with  all  of  the  other  tests  listed  in  this  series  of  “Tests  for 
Non-English  Speaking  Persons,”  the  Addition  tests  will  bring 
more  satisfactory  results,  with  much  greater  economy  of  time, 
if  they  are  administered  as  group  tests.  They  are  here  described, 
however,  as  tests  for  individual  candidates  in  order  that  they 
may  be  given  to  foreign-language-speaking  candidates  without 
any  other  apparatus  than  that  furnished  by  the  test  booklets 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


175 


themselves.  Any  teacher  or  employer  who  has  a number  of 
persons  to  be  examined  should  prepare  a blackboard  or  wall 
chart  on  which  to  exhibit  an  enlarged  copy  of  the  examples  used 
in  the  introduction.  By  placing  this  at  the  front  of  the  room 
in  full  view  of  all  candidates,  the  pantomimic  instructions  here 
described  may  be  used  for  non-English-speaking  candidates, 
or  simple  verbal  explanations  may  supplement  them  for  English- 
speaking  persons. 


Directions  for  Giving  Mentimeter  10a. 

The  examiner,  after  securing  from  the  candidate  his  name, 
address,  age,  and  other  pertinent  information,  should  turn  the 
examination  leaflet  and  exhibit,  for  ten  or  fifteen  seconds,  the 
addition  tests  which  are  to  be  solved.  The  leaflet  should  then 
be  turned  over  to  the  title  page  again  and  attention  should  be 
called  to  the  examples  appearing  on  the  middle  of  this  page  under 
the  heading  “Add.”  The  examiner  should  point  to  the  first 
2 

example  2 and  placing  his  pencil  on  the  lower  2 and  then  upon 

the  upper  2 should  seem  to  hesitate  for  an  instant  and  then  write 

15 

4 underneath  the  line.  Looking  at  the  second  example  3 

he  should  place  his  pencil  on  the  3 and  then  on  the  5 and,  with 
only  an  instant’s  hesitation,  should  write  18.  Similarly,  looking 
23 
25 

at  the  third  example,  16,  he  should  place  his  pencil  first  on  the  6, 

then  on  the  5,  then  on  the  3,  and  write  a 4 underneath  the  line; 
then  place  his  pencil  on  the  1 and  then  upon  the  two  2’s  in  order 
and  write  6 at  the  left  of  the  4.  With  this  explanation  the  ex- 
amination booklet  should  be  opened  and  a pencil  supplied  to  the 
candidate  with  the  instructions  “Go  ahead!  Add  them  all!” 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


176 

Mentimeter  No.  10a. 

Add: 


(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

3 

2 

14 

45 

13 

23 

14 

2 

5 

3 

34 

21 

35 

45 

— 

1 

— 

— 

22 

30 

83 

(8) 

(9) 

(10) 

(11) 

(12) 

34 

197 

374 

796 

7065375 

67 

225 

49 

867 

8688256 

95 

659 

623 

745 

2315553 

52 

316 

5 

933 

1947272 

— 

— 

548 

542 

3583419 

65 

213 

5224362 

— 

564 

6869021 

235 

8518488 

676 

3493625 

— 

2657176 

Four  minutes’  time  should  be  allowed  for  this  test.  At  the 

end  of  the  four  minutes  the  examiner  should  call 

“Time  up” 

and  take  the  paper. 


Directions  for  Scoring  Mentimeter  10a. 

The  score  in  this  test  is  the  number  of  problems  correctly 
solved.  No  credit  should  be  given  for  any  problem  unless  each 
digit  in  the  answer  is  present,  correct,  and  in  its  right  place. 
Scores  from  0 to  5 indicate  Inferior  Ability 
“ “ 6 “ 8 “ Low  Average  Ability 

“ “ 9 “ 11  “ Average  Ability 

A score  of  12  indicates  High  Average  or  Superior 
Ability. 

Directions  for  Giving.  Mentimeter  10b. 

The  examiner  should  open  the  booklet  and  demonstrate  to 
the  candidate,  for  ten  seconds,  with  just  what  nature  of  test  he 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


177 


is  to  be  confronted.  Then,  after  securing  the  necessary  iden- 
tifying information,  the  examiner  should  point  to  the  problems 
on  the  title  page  under  the  word  “Add.”  Pointing  to  the  1 in 
the  first  example  and  then  to  the  2,  he  should  write  3 under  the 
line.  Pointing  to  the  4 and  then  to  the  5,  in  the  second  example, 
he  should  write  9 under  the  line.  Pointing  to  the  4 and  then  to 
the  7 in  the  third  example  he  should  write  11  under  the  line,  and 
should  then  pass  his  pencil  and  the  opened  booklet  to  the  candi- 
date with  the  instruction,  “Go  ahead!  Add  them  up!” 

The  most  important  point  in  this  test  is  to  make  absolutely 
certain  that  exactly  thirty  seconds  (no  more  and  no  less)  is 
allowed  from  the  time  the  examiner  supplies  the  candidate  with 
a pencil  until  the  time  he  calls  “ Stop ! ” Unless  this  time  is  kept 
absolutely  uniform  the  results  of  the  test  will  be  hardly  worth 
considering.  Whether  the  candidate  begins  work  or  not,  the 
time  should  be  calculated  from  the  instant  he  receives  his  pencil 
and  the  opened  booklet. 

Directions  for  Scoring  Mentimeter  10b. 

The  score  in  this  test  is  the  number  of  correct  answers  ob- 
tained in  thirty  seconds.  Unless  an  answer  is  absolutely  cor- 
rect, it  should  have  no  credit.  If  an  answer  is  only  partially 
finished  when  time  is  called,  it  should  not  be  credited  as  being 
the  correct  answer  unless  it  is  suflBciently  complete  in  both  digits 
to  prove  that  the  right  answer  had  been  obtained. 

Scores  from  0 to  9 indicate  Inferior  Ability 
“ “ 10“21  “ Low  Average  Ability 

“ “ 22  “ 32  “ Average  Ability 

“ “ 33  “ 44  “ High  Average  Ability 

“ “ 45  “ 60  “ Superior  Ability 


178  MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 

Mentimeter  No.  10b 

Add: 


(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

2 

8 

5 

7 

1 

4 

9 

1 

4 

5 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

(10) 

8 

3 

4 

6 

2 

3 

0 

5 

9 

8 

(11) 

(12) 

(13) 

(14) 

(15) 

6 

4 

4 

0 

1 

7 

3 

6 

7 

2 

(16) 

(17) 

(18) 

(19) 

(20) 

3 

7 

2 

9 

6 

2 

9 

2 

3 

5 

(21) 

(22) 

(23) 

(24) 

(25) 

7 

5 

7 

9 

6 

6 

2 

1 

4 

8 

(26) 

(27) 

(28) 

(29) 

(30) 

3 

7 

6 

4 

5 

3 

4 

2 

8 

8 

THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  179 

Mentimeter  No.  10b  {continued) 


(31) 

m 

(33) 

(34) 

(35) 

9 

9 

0 

7 

5 

6 

9 

5 

6 

8 

(36) 

(37) 

(38) 

(39) 

(40) 

6 

3 

8 

9 

7 

8 

7 

7 

6 

5 

(41) 

m 

(43) 

(44) 

(45) 

[8 

5 

5 

7 

8 

3 

9 

6 

4 

8 

(46) 

(47) 

,48) 

(49) 

(50) 

6 

7 

9 

2 

7 

5 

8 

3 

7 

7 

(51) 

(52) 

(53) 

(54) 

(55) 

3 

2 

0 

8 

4 

1 

7 

5 

9 

7 

(56) 

(57) 

(58) 

(59) 

(60) 

1 

2 

8 

7 

7 

6 

5 

1 

6 

5 

180 


MEASUEE  YOUR  MIND 


Differences  between  Mentimeters  10a  and  lOh. 

In  connection  with  these  tests  of  ability  in  addition,  a few 
additional  words  should  be  said  to  make  somewhat  clearer  the 
differences  between  educational  tests  and  tests  of  intelligence. 
There  is,  of  course,  no  sharp  line  to  be  drawn  between  these  two 
types  of  tests.  Mentimeter  No.  10b  may  be  classified  very  cer- 
tainly as  an  educational  test  because  it  involves  primarily  the 
element  of  speed  in  simple  additions  which  is  not  an  accurate 
index  of  intellectual  capacity  but  depends  almost  altogether 
upon  specific  drill.  Improvement  in  ability  to  make  a score 
in  Mentimeter  No.  10a  will  come  much  more  slowly  than  in  the 
case  of  the  speed  test  in  addition.  Before  a child  can  make 
progress  sufficient  to  carry  him  from  problem  5 to  problem  6 in 
Mentimeter  10a,  he  must  be  instructed  in  the  mysteries  of  add- 
ing zero  to  the  sum  of  two  other  numbers.  Before  he  can  make 
progress  from  problem  6 to  problem  7 he  must  learn  to  put  down 
the  2 under  the  right-hand  column  of  figures  and  carry  the  1 
to  the  next  colunm  and  add  it  with  the  digits  printed  there. 
Each  additional  problem  that  he  solves  involves  some  new  ele- 
ments of  arithmetic  knowledge  which  can  be  learned  only  by 
careful  study  and  one  at  a time. 

In  the  speed  test  a larger  score  does  not  indicate  ability  to  do 
anything  more  difficult  or  to  understand  anything  more  com- 
plicated, but  merely  more  rapid  doing  of  the  things  which  are 
already  fully  understood.  In  the  other  test,  however,  a larger 
score  indicates  greater  comprehension  of  more  difficult  situa- 
tions and  therefore  an  intellectual  capacity  which  is  of  greater 
magnitude. 

The  primary  purpose  of  the  Mentimeter  tests  is  to  measure 
intellectual  capacity  rather  than  school  training.  For  this 
reason  very  few  tests  which  may  be  classified  as  primarily  edu- 
cational have  been  included.  Where  they  have  been  inserted, 
they  have  been  arranged  to  measure  the  ability  of  the  person  to 
do  more  difficult  tasks  rather  than  his  ability  to  do  simple  tasks 
more  rapidly. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


181 


Mentimeter  No.  11 
MEMORY  FOR  NUMBERS 

Character  of  the  Test, 

This  test  is  planned  as  an  individual  examination  to  be  given 
to  any  candidate  who  understands  the  English  language.  The 
test  is  borrowed  directly  from  the  Binet  series  and  was  used 
as  a group  test  in  the  first  form  of  the  Alpha  examination  in  the 
United  States  Army. 

The  usefulness  of  this  test  is  probably  limited  to  the  selection 
of  candidates  for  very  simple  mechanical  operations  and  to  the 
classification  of  pupils  in  the  schoolroom.  It  might  be  em- 
ployed as  one  of  a series  of  tests  in  the  selection  of  telephone 
operators,  but  its  use  in  such  a case  is  probably  more  obvious 
than  practical. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test, 

The  candidate  should  be  seated  comfortably  in  a quiet  place 
and  should  be  instructed  to  listen  carefully.  The  examiner 
should  fill  out  the  blanks  at  the  top  of  the  title  page,  recording 
only  such  facts  as  seem  to  be  necessary.  The  examiner  should 
then  repeat  the  following  formula: 

“I  am  going  to  read  to  you  sixteen  series  of  numbers.  The 
first  series  will  be  very  short  and  the  last  series  will  be  quite 
long.  When  I have  read  a series  I want  you  to  repeat  all  of  the 
numbers  it  contained.  I shall  read  them  slowly  so  that  you  can 
be  sure  to  get  them.  Listen  very  carefully  and  try  not  to  forget 
any  number.  Do  not  repeat  any  number  until  I have  finished 
the  whole  series  and  stopped  speaking.” 

The  examiner  should  announce  each  time  just  how  many 
numbers  will  appear  in  the  series.  The  digits  should  be  read 
at  the  rate  of  one  per  second,  taking  care  to  avoid  any  rhythmic 
grouping  of  the  numbers.  The  examiner  should  look  up  ex- 
pectantly as  soon  as  he  has  finished  reading  a series.  No  in- 


182 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


timation  should  be  given  a candidate  as  to  whether  or  not  he  is 
being  successful.  The  first  series  should  be  read  as  follows: 

“The  First  Series  contains  two  numbers  which  are,  5,  6.”  As 
soon  as  the  candidate  has  repeated  these  numbers  the  examiner 
should  say: 

“The  Second  Series  contains  two  numbers  which  are,  2,  7.” 

First  Series  5 6 
Second  “27 

Third  “935 

Fourth  “416 

Fifth  “ 7 4 9 3 

Sixth  “ 4 8 5 7 

Seventh  “ 9 5 7 3 8 

Eighth  “ 6 8 12  4 

Ninth  Series  2 6 8 3 5 9 

Tenth  “ 6 3 5 9 2 7 

Eleventh  “ 9583624 

Twelfth  “ 8195263 

Thirteenth  “ 35268349 

Fourteenth  “ 28593614 

Fifteenth  “ 639481725 

Sixteenth  “ 714963528 

Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  examiner  should  keep  on  the  test  leaflet,  out  of  the  sight 
of  the  candidate,  a notation  of  exactly  which  series  cause  failure. 
Misplacement  of  any  digit  in  the  series  should  count  as  an  error 
and  bring  no  credit  for  that  series.  The  total  score  obtained 
by  counting  the  number  of  series  in  which  each  number  was 
correctly  repeated  in  its  right  order  should  be  written  in  the  lower 
right-hand  corner  of  the  title  page  of  the  leaflet. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


183 


Scores  from 

0 to 

7 indicate 

Inferior  Ability 

« << 

8 “ 

9 

Low  Average  Ability 

ti  ti 

10  “ 

12 

Average  Ability 

<(  a 

13  “ 

14  “ 

High  Average  Ability 

<« 

15  “ 

16 

Superior  Ability 

Mentimeter  No.  12 

REPEATING  NUMBERS  BACKWARD 
Character  of  the  Test 

This  test  can  only  be  given  as  an  individual  examination  and 
to  people  who  understand  spoken  English.  The  presence  of 
other  people  in  the  room  where  the  test  is  being  given  is  fre- 
quently the  cause  of  low  scores. 

This  test  is  borrowed  bodily  from  the  Binet  series,  in  which  it 
has  won  a distinct  place  for  itself  as  a useful  measure  of  the  abil- 
ity to  think  about  symbols  and  abstract  ideas. 

This  test  will  be  of  little  value  as  an  entertainment  feature  but 
will  be  useful  to  the  public  school  teacher,  or  to  the  employer 
who  wishes  to  have  a brief  but  fairly  accurate  test  to  apply  to 
individual  people  whom  he  may  be  considering  for  positions  of 
responsibility.  The  reliability  of  the  test  is  unusually  high  for 
an  examination  taking  no  more  time  than  is  required  for  this. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

The  examiner  should  read  the  following  instructions  clearly: 

“I  have  twelve  lists  of  numbers  to  read  to  you.  I want  you 
to  listen  carefully  as  I read  each  list,  and  when  I say  ‘Now’  you 
are  to  repeat  the  same  numbers  backward,  that  is,  in  the  re- 
verse order.  For  example,  if  I should  read  the  numbers,  3,  4,  5, 
when  I said  ‘Now’  you  should  repeat  them  5,  4,  3.  If  I read 
9,  8,  7,  you  should  say  7,  8,  9.  You  are  to  say  the  same  num- 
bers I read,  but  you  are  to  say  them  just  backward  from  the 
way  I read  them.” 

The  examiner  should  read  each  series  very  distinctly  and  at 


184 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


the  rate  of  one  digit  per  second.  About  five  seconds  before  the 
reading  of  each  series  the  examiner  should  call  the  candidate’s  at- 
tention by  saying,  “Now  listen  to  this  set.”  Allow  two  seconds 
after  reading  the  last  digit  of  each  series  before  saying  “Now,” 
or,  “Now  say  them  backward.”  If  the  candidate  has  not  begun 
to  repeat  the  digits  within  thirty  seconds  the  examiner  should 
say  “Now  try  this  set”  and  should  read  the  next  list  to  him. 

First  Series  5 8 
Second 
Third 
Fourth 

Fifth 
Sixth 
Seventh 
Eighth 

Ninth 
Tenth 
Eleventh 
Twelfth 

Directions  for  Scoring  the  Ted. 

The  score  in  this  test  is  the  number  of  series  repeated  back- 
ward without  error.  Any  misplacement  in  the  order  of  the 
digits  should  be  considered  an  error  and  no  credit  should  be 
given  for  that  series.  The  examiner  will  need  to  keep  a record 
of  just  which  series  were  correctly  repeated,  and  will  need  to  keep 
this  record  from  the  view  of  the  candidate  being  examined,  at 
least  until  after  the  examination  is  complete. 

Scores  from  0 to  4 indicate  Inferior  Ability 
“ “ 5 “ 6 “ Low  Average  Ability 

“ “ 7 “ 8 “ Average  Ability 

“ “ 9 “ 10  “ High  Average  Ability 

“ “ 11  “ 12  “ Superior  Ability 


“ 6 4 

“ 3 5 2 

“ 8 4 9 

“ 7 3 9 4 

“ 5 2 6 8 

“ 1 9 2 5 3 

“ 4 2 8 9 6 

“ 8 3 6 2 5 7 

“ 1 5 9 6 4 7 

“ 2637584 

“ 3826475 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


185 


Mentimeter  No.  13 
MEMORY  FOR  SENTENCES 

Character  of  the  Test. 

At  the  age  of  two  years  and  frequently  before,  the  vocabulary 
of  the  ordinary  child  has  developed  to  such  an  extent  that  it 
contains  two  or  three  hundred  individual  words  which  can  be 
used  rather  effectively.  By  the  time  the  child  is  four  years  of 
age  he  has  increased  his  vocabulary  very  extensively  and  can 
repeat  entire  sentences,  if  they  are  not  too  long,  without  error. 
The  Mentimeter  here  provided  is  intended  to  measure  the 
complexity  and  length  of  a sentence  which  an  individual  can 
repeat  correctly  after  having  heard  it  only  once.  The  reliability 
of  this  test  is  not  very  well  determined  and  its  field  of  usefulness 
is  almost  as  indefinite.  It  will  be  interesting  in  social  groups  as 
a recreation  and  will  be  useful  to  the  teacher  in  comparing  her 
pupils,  but  it  is  doubtful  if  it  can  be  employed  in  industrial  work 
with  any  large  group  of  employees.  It  would  seem  that  it 
might,  however,  be  found  valuable  as  a test  of  telegraphers, 
stenographers,  and  dictaphone  operators.  The  fact  that  it  is  to 
be  given  as  an  individual  test  still  further  limits  its  usefulness. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

The  examiner,  after  recording  or  having  the  candidate  record 
on  his  leaflet  the  identifying  information  required,  should  repeat 
the  following  explanation : 

“I  have  ten  sentences  which  I shall  read  to  you  slowly,  one 
sentence  at  a time.  You  are  to  listen  very  carefully  while  I read 
and  then  after  I have  finished  reading  a sentence  you  are  to 
repeat  it  to  me  exactly  as  it  was  read.” 

Each  sentence  should  be  read  only  once.  The  reading  should 
be  done  slowly  and  distinctly  with  suflScient  emphasis  to  make 
clear  the  meaning  of  the  sentence  as  well  as  the  words  spoken. 
The  candidate  should  be  encouraged  to  try  each  sentence  and 


186 


MEASUHE  YOUE  MIND 


should  not  be  informed  as  to  whether  or  not  his  attempts  are 
successful.  The  sentences  to  be  read  are  as  follows : 

1.  It  snows  in  the  winter. 

2.  Men  usually  have  more  dignity  than  boys. 

3.  There  is  no  excuse  for  being  thoughtless  about  the  rights 
of  other  people. 

4.  The  price  of  peace  may  sometimes  be  mtach  greater  than  a 
nation  can  afford  to  pay. 

5.  It  is  unfortunate  that  war  should  ever  be  necessary  among 
civilized  nations. 

6.  Their  harbour  is  a shallow  body  of  water  connected  with, 
but  protected  from,  the  open  sea. 

7.  Conscience  asserting  itself  as  the  voice  divine  within  the 
human  soul  is  then  a real  actuality. 

8.  Each  state  appoints  a number  of  electors  equal  to  the 
whole  number  of  senators  and  representatives. 

9.  These  discoveries — gunpowder,  printing-press,  compass, 
and  telescope — were  the  weapons  before  which  the  old  science 
trembled. 

10.  The  use  of  italic  type  is  indicated  in  the  author’s  manu- 
script by  underscoring  the  letters,  words,  phrases,  or  sentences 
that  are  to  be  italicized. 

Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  candidate  is  to  be  scored  as  successful  on  each  sentence 
repeated  correctly,  or  repeated  with  the  omission  of  not  more 
than  one  unimportant  word  such  as  “the”  or  “a.”  The  omis- 
sion of  more  than  one  word  or  of  a word  which  changes  or  limits 
the  meaning  of  the  sentence  should  be  considered  as  a failure  to 
remember  what  was  said. 

The  examiner  should  keep  on  the  test  leaflet  a note  of  just 
which  sentences  were  correctly  repeated  and  which  were  not. 
The  candidate  should  not  be  allowed  to  see  or  know  his  record. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  187 

The  total  score  is  the  number  of  sentences  on  which  the  candidate 
was  successful. 


Scores  from  0 to  2 indicate 

« 3 “ 4 

“ 5 “6 

7 S 

“ 9 “ 10  “ 


Inferior  Ability- 
Low  Average  Ability 
Average  Ability 
High  Average  Ability 
Superior  Ability 


Mentimeter  No.  14 
SPEAKING-VOCABULARY  TEST 


Character  of  the  Test. 

One  of  the  best  measures  of  the  intellectual  capacity  of  a 
community  or  of  a race  of  people  is  the  complexity  of  the  lan- 
guage which  they  find  it  necessary  to  use  in  their  life  and  social 
intercourse.  The  speaking  vocabulary  of  a tribe  or  of  an  in- 
dividual is  therefore  an  unusually  accurate  index  of  mental 
capacity.  The  present  test  of  speaking  vocabulary  is  designed 
to  be  used  as  an  individual  test  for  measuring  the  vocabulary  of 
English-speaking  persons.  With  some  alterations  in  the  direc- 
tions which  are  given  below  the  test  might  be  used  as  a group 
test,  but  the  results  from  such  a group  test  would  be  quite 
different  and  practically  not  comparable  with  the  results  to  be 
obtained  when  the  test  is  given  according  to  directions. 

The  individual  to  be  examined  need  not  be  able  to  read  Eng- 
lish but  must  be  able  to  understand  ordinary  conversational 
words  and  sentences.  The  examiner  pronounces  very  distinctly 
the  word  which  appears  on  his  list  and  asks  the  candidate  to 
explain  the  meaning  of  the  word.  The  list  used  by  the  ex- 
aminer contains  fifty  words,  which  are  roughly  graded,  from  the 
most  common  and  well-known  w ords  used  in  every-day  life  up 
to  very  unusual  and  little-known  words  that  would  be  found 
very  rarely  in  newspaper  or  magazine  articles.  Any  definition 
is  accepted  which  shows  that  the  candidate  really  understands 
the  nature  and  use  of  the  thing  mentioned. 


188 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


This  test  is  modelled  directly  upon  the  Vocabulary  test  in- 
cluded in  the  Stanford  Revision  of  the  Binet  tests.  It  has  been 
shown  by  careful  scientific  investigations  that  a test  of  this  type 
is  very  reliable  as  a measure  of  general  intellectual  capacity. 
The  excuse  for  having,  at  the  end  of  the  series,  words  which  are 
little  known  and  of  no  great  practical  value  is  that  without  such 
words  it  would  be  impossible  to  obtain  a real  measure  of  the 
vocabulary  of  writers,  well-trained  lawyers,  and  other  specialists 
in  the  use  of  the  English  language.  The  good  scientific  test  of 
intelligence  always  begins  with  elements  which  are  so  simple 
that  the  dullest  mind  will  master  them  and  progresses  steadily  to 
elements  which  are  so  complex  and  difficult  that  even  the 
keenest  minds  have  difficulty  in  reaching  satisfactory  solutions. 

A test  of  this  sort  measuring  general  vocabulary  will  be  very 
useful  to  employers  in  the  selection  of  stenographers  and  other 
clerical  workers.  In  the  public  schoolroom  teachers  will  find  it 
very  helpful  in  the  classification  of  new  pupils  coming  to  their 
room  for  the  first  time  or  in  the  comparison  of  pupils  who  have 
been  observed  for  a long  period.  The  disadvantage  of  the 
test  is  that  it  must  be  given  to  one  individual  at  a time.  Such 
procedure  makes  it  possible,  however,  for  the  teacher  or  the 
psychologist  to  study  the  more  or  less  intangible  attitudes  and 
reactions  of  the  pupil  which  cannot  be  observed  in  group  examina- 
tions. These  peculiarities  of  the  pupil  are  of  tremendous  value 
to  the  trained  psychologist  or  to  the  psychiatrist  in  making  a 
careful  diagnosis  of  special  mental  defects. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

This  test  should  not  be  given  in  the  presence  of  outsiders. 
The  examiner  should  take  the  individual  to  as  quiet  a place  as 
possible,  should  seat  the  candidate  in  a comfortable  chair,  and 
converse  with  him  until  he  is  thoroughly  at  ease  and  ready  to 
answer  any  sort  of  question.  The  examiner  may  write  on  his 
list  the  response  which  is  made  by  the  candidate  to  each  word  in 
the  vocabulary.  The  formula  which  should  be  used  by  the 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


189 


examiner  should  be  as  nearly  as  possible  that  of  ordinary  con- 
versation, although  care  must  be  used  to  avoid  suggesting  by 
the  form  of  the  question  any  clue  to  the  proper  response.  Be- 
ginning with  the  first  word,  after  introducing  the  general  idea  by 
some  such  phrase  as  “Now,  I am  going  to  ask  you  the  meanings 
of  a list  of  words,”  the  examiner  should  say,  “The  first  word  is 
coat.  What  is  a coat?” 

If  the  candidate  does  not  seem  to  understand,  the  question 
may  be  repeated  or  it  may  be  presented  as  follows:  “You 

know  what  a coat  is,  do  you  not?  Well,  what  is  a coat?  ” 

Similarly,  with  the  second  word  one  could  say,  “What  does 
the  word  buy,  b-u-y,  mean?  Wliat  is  the  meaning  of  buy?” 
If  the  candidate  does  not  understand,  the  question  may  be 
restated  as  follows : “Did  you  ever  buy  anything?  Wliat  does 

the  word  buy  mean?  ” Special  care  should  be  taken  at  all  points 
to  avoid  suggesting  the  answer,  giving  special  hints,  discouraging 
the  candidate  or  telling  him  whether  or  not  he  is  being  success- 
ful. He  may  be  told  at  any  time  that  he  is  doing  well  but  he 
should  not  be  informed  whether  his  answer  is  correct  or  incorrect. 

Not  more  than  forty-five  seconds  should  be  allowed  to  the 
candidate  for  thinking  about  any  one  word.  At  the  end  of  the 
forty-five  seconds  the  examiner  should  repeat  the  question.  If 
at  the  end  of  thirty  seconds  after  the  question  is  first  repeated 
the  candidate  has  still  said  nothing,  the  examiner  should  pass  on 
to  the  next  word  with  this  introduction,  “Well,  here  is  another 
word.  What  does  the  word  ‘book’  mean?”  Under  no  cir- 
cumstances should  the  candidate  being  examined  be  allowed  to 
take  or  to  see  the  word  list- 


Sjpeaking -Vocabulary  Test. 


1.  coat 

6.  rent 

2.  buy 

7.  beef 

3.  book 

8.  law 

4.  store 

9.  disease 

5.  piano 

10.  doubt 

190 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


11.  judge 

31. 

socialism 

12.  fortunate 

32. 

logic 

13.  secretary 

33. 

revere 

14.  royal 

34. 

sarcasm 

15.  canal 

35. 

taunt 

16.  greed 

36. 

opaque 

17.  blond 

37. 

debutante 

18.  wealth 

38. 

reparation 

19.  permit 

39. 

decimate  ^ 

20.  wisdom 

40. 

rheostat 

21.  govern 

41. 

omniscient 

22.  license 

42. 

beshrew 

23.  compete 

43. 

cheetah 

24.  Jupiter 

44. 

behemoth 

25.  modesty 

45. 

oriel 

26.  policy 

46. 

megalith 

27.  measure 

47. 

myelin 

28.  enthusiasm 

48. 

paleography 

29.  percentage 

49. 

prosthetics 

30.  league 

50. 

salep 

Pirections  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  score  of  this  test  is  the  number  of  words  which  the  candi- 
date demonstrates  clearly  that  he  understands  and  can  use.  A 
list  is  provided  in  the  appendix  showing  the  chief  meanings 
and  uses  which  are  likely  to  be  mentioned  by  the  candidate. 
A repetition  of  a word  by  the  candidate  should  not  be  counted 
as  evidence  that  he  understands.  For  example,  the  candidate 
who  replies  that  “doubt”  means  “when  you  doubt  something” 
or  that  “greed”  means  “when  you  are  greedy”  has  not  fully 
proved  by  such  a reply  that  these  words  are  familiar  to  him.  In 
such  cases  as  those  just  mentioned  the  examiner  may  well  ask, 
“Does  it  mean  anything  more  to  you.^^” 

The  best  method  of  keeping  record  is  to  write  on  the  test 
blank  a notation  of  what  reply  was  received,  although  it  will 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


191 


be  sufficient  to  make  a check  mark  after  each  word  satisfactorily- 
explained  and  to  cross  out  each  word  that  is  unknown  if  from 
his  reply  there  is  no  doubt  about  the  ability  of  the  candidate 
to  use  the  word.  The  maximum  score  obtainable  in  this  test 
is  fifty  words.  The  score  actually  received  should  be  entered 
on  the  title  page  of  the  test  blank  for  purposes  of  record. 


Scores  from  0 to  10  indicate  Inferior  Ability 
“ “11  “ 20  “ Low  Average  Ability 

“ “ 21  “ 30  “ Average  Ability 

“ “ 31  “ 40  “ High  Average  Ability 

“ “ 41  “ 50  “ Superior  Ability^ 


Mentimeter  No.  15 
WORD  DISCRIMINATION 

Character  of  the  Test. 

Intellectual  ability  has  usually  been  attributed  in  the  greatest 
degree  to  those  people  who  were  best  able  to  use  their  native 
language.  This  test  is  calculated  to  measure  the  ability  of 
individual  candidates  to  discriminate  between  the  meanings  of 
different  words.  Insofar  as  ability  to  draw  distinctions  between 
similar  words  can  be  taken  as  a measure  of  intellectual  capacity, 
this  test  will  be  found  useful. 

It  is  quite  certain  to  be  entertaining  as  a social  diversion  and 
distinctly  useful  as  a measure  of  the  general  familiarity  of  any 
child  in  the  public  schools  with  the  English  language.  In- 
dustrial and  commercial  establishments  may  very  well  find  that 
it  has  a distinct  relationship  to  the  kind  of  intelligence  it  would 
pay  them  to  employ  in  certain  parts  of  their  organization. 

There  is  no  simple  way  of  converting  this  test  into  a group 
test  because  of  the  added  complexity  of  the  problem  which  is 
presented  when  candidates  are  asked  to  write  their  answers.  It 
is  very  much  simpler  to  explain  the  difference  between  two  words 


192 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


than  to  write  out  the  explanation.  It  is  recommended  that  this 
test  be  given  in  a quiet  place  where  no  persons  other  than  the 
examiner  and  the  candidate  are  present.  This  rule,  of  course, 
will  not  apply  when  the  test  is  used  as  a parlour  game. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

The  examiner  should  use  the  regular  printed  leaflet  which 
contains  the  list  of  words  to  be  explained.  On  the  title  page, 
he  should  enter  such  facts  about  the  candidate  as  will  identify 
him  and  satisfy  the  purposes  of  the  investigation.  The  word  list 
should  not  be  shown  to  the  candidate  at  all.  The  examiner 
should  make  a notation  on  his  word  list  showing  just  what  differ- 
ence was  mentioned  by  the  candidate  for  each  pair  of  words. 

When  the  examiner  has  put  the  candidate  at  his  ease  and  is 
ready  to  begin  the  test,  he  should  read  the  following  directions: 
“I  have  a list  of  twenty-four  pairs  of  words.  I shall  read  one 
pair  at  a time,  and  I wish  you  to  tell  me  what  differences  you 
know  between  the  two  things  mentioned.  First,  what  is  the 
difference  between  a bird  and  a fish?”  If  no  answer  is  given 
within  half  a minute,  the  examiner  may  say:  “You  know  what 
a bird  is,  do  you  not?  You  know  what  a fish  is,  don’t  you?  Well, 
what  is  the  difference  between  a bird  and  a fish?”  No  addi- 
tional help  of  any  sort  may  be  given  and  not  more  than  thirty 
seconds  should  be  allowed  after  the  second  asking  of  the  ques- 
tion. The  only  formula  to  be  used  is:  “What  is  the  difference 
between and ?” 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


193 


What  is  the  difference  between 

1.  A bird  and  a fish? 

2.  A snake  and  a fly? 

3.  A pen  and  a pencil? 

4.  An  eagle  and  a chicken? 

5.  A book  and  a magazine? 

6.  An  orange  and  a lemon? 

7.  A teacher  and  a preacher? 

8.  Luck  and  pluck? 


9.  Stone  and  china? 

10.  A balloon  and  an  airplane? 

11.  To  plod  and  to  plot? 

12.  To  wither  and  to  shrivel? 


13.  To  surprise  and  to  astonish? 

14.  Rash  and  reckless? 

15.  Lonely  and  solitary? 

16.  Sorrow  and  sadness? 


17.  Plutocrat  and  autocrat? 

‘'18.  A rascal  and  a rogue? 

19.  To  plunder  and  to  devastate? 

20.  To  relinquish  and  to  resign? 


21.  Shrewd  and  sagacious? 

22.  Dormant  and  quiescent? 

23.  Reconstruction  and  rehabilitation? 

24.  Reparation  and  indemnity? 


194 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  score  in  this  test  is  the  number  of  pairs  of  words  between 
which  the  candidate  gives  at  least  one  real  difference.  The 
differences  which  appear  in  Appendix  D are  suggestive  of  the  type 
of  differences  which  may  be  mentioned  by  the  candidate,  but  the 
list  there  furnished  is  not  complete.  One  should  not  assume 
that  the  candidate  knows  the  difference  between  the  two  things 
for  which  the  words  stand  until  the  candidate  has  described  one 
real  difference  pretty  clearly.  Such  answers  as,  “Oh,  they  are 
different,  entirely  different,”  or  “One  is  one  thing  and  the  other  is 
something  else”  should  not  be  considered  as  correct  in  any 
respect.  The  idea  that  the  person  knows  a difference  without 
being  able  to  explain  it  should  not  influence  in  any  way  the  judg- 
ment of  the  examiner.  The  difference  must  not  only  be  known, 
but  must  be  clearly  expressed  before  credit  is  given  for  any  pair. 

The  total  score  possible  in  this  test  is  twenty -four  points.  The 
total  score  actually  made  by  any  candidate  should  be  entered  in 
the  lower  right-hand  corner  of  the  title  page  of  the  leaflet. 


Scores  from 

0 to 

4 indicate  Inferior  Ability 

5 “ 

9 

“ Low  Average  Ability 

tt  a 

10  “ 

16 

“ Average  Ability 

a (( 

17  “ 

20 

“ High  Average  Ability 

a (( 

21  “ 

24 

“ Superior  Ability. 

Mentimeter  No.  16 

NAMING  OPPOSITES 


Character  of  the  Test. 

The  Opposites  test  in  one  form  or  another  has  been  used  for 
a long  while  with  remarkable  accuracy  as  a measure  of  one’s 
familiarity  with  language  and  his  general  intellectual  compe- 
tence. The  Mentimeter  form  is  superior  to  the  ordinary  form 
of  the  Opposites  test  in  that  it  is  fairly  well  graded  in  its  diffi- 
culty, from  simple  problems  to  very  difficult  problems,  thus 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


195 


securing  an  added  value  as  an  intelligence  test.  It  differs  from 
the  Alpha  form  used  in  the  Army  in  that  it  is  necessary  in  the 
Mentimeter  test  to  write  the  word  which  is  the  opposite  of  the 
key  word  given,  while  in  the  Army  two  words  were  given  which 
might  be  opposites  or  synonyms  and  the  soldier  was  asked  to 
check  whether  the  words  meant  the  “same”  or  the  “opposite.” 
One  difficulty  with  the  military  form  was  that  if  a man  knew 
nothing  at  all  about  the  words  used,  he  would,  nevertheless,  by 
chance  have  half  of  his  answers  correct.  In  the  present  Menti- 
meter form,  a man  must  not  only  use  his  judgment  to  decide 
between  two  words  but  he  must  have  fairly  rich  associations 
between  the  key  word  and  its  opposites  and  be  able  to  select 
from  all  of  these  associations  the  one  which  is  most  appropriate. 

This  test  may  be  given  as  an  individual  examination,  but 
it  is  planned  as  a group  examination  for  as  many  candidates  as 
can  be  conveniently  seated  in  the  room  provided  for  the  exami- 
nation. Only  persons  who  can  read  and  write  the  English  lan- 
guage should  be  tested  with  this  Mentimeter. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

As  soon  as  the  blanks  on  the  title  page  of  the  booklet  have  been 
correctly  filled  in,  under  the  direction  of  the  examiner,  the  candi- 
dates should  be  asked  to  read  silently  the  directions  printed  be- 
low these  blanks  while  he  reads  them  aloud:  “When  you  open 
your  booklets,  you  will  find  on  the  inside  forty  words  each  fol- 
lowed by  a dotted  line  on  which  you  are  to  write  a corresponding 
list  of  forty  words.  You  are  to  write  after  each  word  the  word 
which  in  your  mind  means  just  the  opposite  to  the  word  that 
is  printed.  Notice  the  three  samples  printed  below: 

On  the  line  after  each  word,  write  the  word  which 
means  just  the  opposite  of  the  printed  word. 

(Samples)  A.  bad  good 

B.  girl  boy 

C.  down  up 


196 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


“The  opposite  of  bad  is  ‘good’  and  therefore  ‘good’  has  been 
written  after  the  word  ‘bad’;  the  opposite  of  ‘girl’  is  ‘boy’  and 
therefore  the  word  ‘boy’  has  been  written  after  the  word  ‘girl’; 
the  opposite  of  the  word  ‘down’  is  ‘up’  and  therefore  ‘up’  has 
been  written  after  the  word  ‘down’. 

“You  will  be  allowed  exactly  four  minutes  in  which  to  write 
the  opposites  of  as  many  words  as  you  know  in  the  list.  Begin 
with  the  first  word.  Ready ! Open  your  books ! Go  to  work ! ” 
Exactly  four  minutes  after  saying  “ Go!”,  the  examiner  should 
call,  “Stop!  Close  your  books  and  hand  them  to  me!”  The 
papers  should  be  collected  immediately. 

On  the  line  after  each  word,  write  the  word  which 
means  just  the  opposite  of  the  printed  word. 


1.  good 

21.  wild 

2.  rich 

22.  strength  

3.  little 

23.  innocent 

4.  new 

24.  wisdom 

5.  hard 

25.  positive  

6.  dark 

26.  inferior  

7.  dirty 

27.  ancient  

8.  sick 

28.  result 

9.  north  

29.  stingy  

10.  empty  

11.  push 

31.  partiality  

12.  wrong 

32.  diligent  . . .k 

13.  beginning 

33.  frugal  . . m 

14.  narrow 

34.  spurious  . 

15.  morning 

16.  nowhere 

36.  expedite  

17.  stale 

37.  diffident  

18.  busy 

38.  homogeneous 

19.  to  float 

39.  intrepid 

20.  smooth 

40.  sycophantic  k 

THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


197 


Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  score  in  this  test  is  the  total  number  of  words  for  which 
the  exact  opposite  has  been  written.  Some  considerable  time 
will  be  saved  by  using  the  stencil  provided  with  each  package 
of  test  booklets.  The  total  score  as  finally  obtained  should  be 
written  in  the  lower  right-hand  corner  of  the  title  page  of  the 
booklet. 


Scores  from  0 

“ « g 

“ “ 13 

“ “ 33 


to  7 indicate 

! Inferior  Ability 

“ 12 

Low  Average  Ability 

“ 25 

Average  Ability 

“ 32 

High  Average  Ability 

“ 40 

Superior  Ability. 

Mentimeter  No.  17 
SPELLING  TEST 


Character  of  the  Test. 

All  of  the  investigations  which  have  been  made  into  the  sub- 
ject of  spelling  in  relation  to  general  intelligence  seem  to  indicate 
that  good  spellers  are  “born  and  not  made.”  Of  course  intelli- 
gent people  also  are  “born  and  not  made.”  Strange  to  say, 
a person  may  be  very  intelligent  without  being  an  expert 
speller  or  a person  may  be  a fairly  able  speller  without  being 
keen  intellectually.  This  Mentimeter  is  therefore  not  to  be 
considered  as  reliable  an  index  of  intelligence  as  most  of  the 
others. 

There  are  two  methods  by  which  one  might  determine  the 
ability  of  any  average  individual  in  spelling.  One  might  meas- 
ure how  difficult  a word  was  necessary  in  order  to  cause  failure 
or  one  might  take  words  all  of  the  same  difficulty  and  measure 
what  percentage  of  them  were  misspelled  by  the  candidate. 
List  A in  the  series  which  follows  is  of  the  first  sort,  measuring 
how  difficult  a word  must  be  before  it  causes  trouble  and  List 


198 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


B is  of  the  second  sort,  measuring  how  many  words  of  the  same 
difficulty  can  be  spelled  correctly  by  the  individual  tested. 
These  words  are  selected  from  the  Ayers  Measuring  Scale  for 
Ability  in  Spelling.  Mentimeter  List  A consists  of  two 
words  from  each  degree  of  difficulty  from  B to  Z in  the 
Ayers  list.  Mentimeter  List  B is  chosen  from  List  R of  the 
Ayers  Scale. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

Whether  the  examination  is  to  be  with  List  A or  with  List  B 
the  candidates  should  be  supplied  with  the  Mentimeter  leaflet 
and  should  be  asked  first  of  all  to  write  their  names,  ages  and 
other  necessary  information  on  the  title  page.  When  this  in- 
formation has  been  obtained  the  examiner  should  read  the 
following  directions: 

‘‘I  shall  pronounce  to  you  a list  of  fifty  words.  You  are  to 
listen  carefully  and  then  to  write  on  the  blank  provided  for  it 
the  word  which  I pronounce.  Be  very  careful  to  form  your 
letters  distinctly  in  order  that  I may  know  whether  or  not  you 
know  how  to  spell  these  words.  Do  not  ask  any  questions,  for 
I shall  not  answer  them.  Each  word  will  be  pronounced  only 
twice,  so  listen  carefully  in  order  not  to  make  it  necessary  to 
ask  for  a further  repetition.” 

The  examiner  should  pronounce  each  word  very  distinctly. 
He  should,  before  pronouncing  the  word,  give  the  serial  number 
of  the  word  in  order  that  it  may  be  recorded  on  the  proper  blank 
by  the  candidate.  The  formula  to  be  used  should  be  as  follows: 

“The  first  word  is  ‘go,’ — go.”  After  waiting  for  ten  or 
not  more  than  fifteen  seconds,  the  next  word  should  be  pro- 
nounced as  follows:  “The  second  word  is  ‘at,’ — at.” 

It  is  the  intention  that  each  individual  shall  have  ample  op- 
portunity to  understand  the  word  to  be  spelled  and  to  write  his 
spelling  of  it,  but  that  the  conditions  shall  remain  uniform  for 
all. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


1.  go 

2.  at 

3.  can 

4.  run 

5.  ten 

6.  bed 

7.  good 

8.  little 

9.  like 

10.  book 

11.  make 

12.  hand 

13.  tell 

14.  five 

15.  spring 

16.  plant 

17.  game^ 

18.  hard 

19.  week 

20.  mile 

21.  summer 

22.  express 

23.  railroad 

24.  ticket 

25.  death 


199 


List  A 

26.  learn 

27.  district 

28.  pleasure 

29.  prison 

30.  family 

31.  factory 

32.  president 

33.  illustrate 

34.  education 

35.  century 

36.  difference 

37.  organize 

38.  estimate 

39.  foreign 

40.  diflficulty 

41.  reference 

42.  secretary 

43.  athletic 

44.  February 

45.  preliminary 

46.  annual 

47.  decision 

48.  principle 

49.  judgment 

50.  recommend 


200 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


List  B 


1.  Christmas 

2.  interest 

3.  popular 

4.  treasure 

5.  search 

6.  complete 

7.  against 

8.  consider 

9.  tomorrow 

10.  general 

11.  distribute 

12.  injure 

13.  service 

14.  article 

15.  feature 

16.  manner 

17.  increase 

18.  convention 

19.  together 

20.  diamond 

21.  common 

22.  purpose 

23.  director 

24.  attention 

25.  already 


26.  according 

27.  provision 

28.  object 

29.  different 

30.  prefer 

31.  busy 

32.  vessel 

33.  prepare 

34.  wreck 

35.  promise 

36.  illustrate 

37.  secure 

38.  adopt 

39.  success 

40.  toward 

41.  machine 

42.  publication 

43.  visitor 

44.  salary 

45.  entertain 

46.  wear 

47.  education 

48.  avenue 

49.  combination 

50.  forenoon 


Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

No  word  should  be  given  credit  unless  it  is  spelled  correctly. 
If  a word  is  so  illegible  that  the  examiner  cannot  easily  tell 
whether  or  not  it  is  correctly  spelled  it  should  be  counted  as 
wrong.  The  total  number  of  words  correctly  spelled  should  be 
entered  in  the  lower  right-hand  corner  of  the  title  page  of  the 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  201 

test  leaflet,  and  should  be  followed  by  a notation  of  the  list 
used. 

In  List  A 

Scores  from  0 to  20  indicate  Inferior  Ability 


21 

“ 35 

“ Low  Average  Ability 

36 

“ 45 

“ Average  Ability 

46 

“ 50 

“ High  Average  or  Superior 

Ability 

In  List  B 

Scores  from 

0 to  10  indicate  Inferior  Ability 

11 

“ 24 

“ Low  Average  Ability 

25 

“ 40 

“ Average  Ability 

((  (( 

41 

“ 46 

“ High  Average  Ability 

47 

“ 50 

“ Superior  Ability 

It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  an  individual’s  score  will  be  the 
same  exactly  in  List  A as  in  List  B or  that  his  classification 
based  on  this  score  will  be  just  the  same.  The  two  lists  are  not 
perfectly  adjusted  in  this  matter  and  if  they  were  it  would  still 
be  possible  for  a person  of  “Average  Ability”  in  List  A to  obtain 
“Low  Average”  scores  in  List  B. 

In  public  school  work  teachers  will  probably  find  List  A more 
instructive  than  List  B,  although  List  B will  be  almost  as  useful 
in  classifying  pupils,  especially  when  used  in  connection  with 
the  following  table  of  average  results. 


The  average  Second  Grade  pupil  should  spell  6 words  in  List  B 


“ Third 

“ 14  - - - - 

“ Fourth  “ 

“ 25  “ “ “ “ 

“ Fifth 

(< 

“ 33  “ “ “ “ 

“ Sixth  “ 

“ 40  “ “ « “ 

Seventh  “ 

“ 44  “ “ “ “ 

“ Eighth  “ 

“ 

“ 47  “ “ “ “ 

202  MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 

Mentimeter  No.  18 
RANGE  OF  INFORMATION 

Character  of  the  Test. 

This  test  is  a very  entertaining  and  useful  task  for  any  group  to 
work  upon.  It  is  based  upon  the  assumption  that  general 
intelligence  will  result  in  the  extension  of  one’s  general  knowl- 
edge and  information  about  affairs  in  many  fields.  The  test 
requires,  for  its  perfect  solution,  knowledge  of  all  sorts  of  facts  in 
a great  variety  of  fields. 

The  General  Information  test  used  in  the  Army  Alpha  series 
was  very  frequently  subject  to  criticism  from  officers  and  men 
because  not  a sufficient  number  of  questions  was  asked  about 
matters  which  pertained  to  their  own  field  of  work.  The 
physicians,  for  example,  expressed  regret  that  there  were  so  few 
questions  referring  to  medicine  or  anatomy,  while  the  engineers 
were  just  as  much  inclined  to  believe  that  the  test  would  have 
been  improved  had  it  included  a larger  number  of  questions 
applying  directly  to  their  field.  Of  course  the  purpose  of  the 
test  is  to  avoid  specializing  in  any  particular  field  and  to  cover 
just  as  wide  a range  as  possible  of  general  information. 

An  effort  has  been  made  to  graduate  the  difficulty  of  the 
questions  asked  in  the  Mentimeter  form  of  this  test,  in  order  to 
obtain  as  much  additional  merit  as  possible  in  the  measurement 
of  intellectual  capacity.  This  test  will  be  useful  in  almost  any 
educational  or  industrial  organization.  It  is  probable,  however, 
that  its  usefulness  in  school  will  not  be  as  great  as  in  life  outside 
of  the  schools.  As  little  of  the  material  has  been  drawn  from 
educational  experiences  as  seemed  possible.  A great  deal  of 
amusement  can  be  obtained  in  a social  group  by  reading  aloud 
the  answers  checked  by  members  of  the  group. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


203 


Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

When  the  candidates  are  comfortably  seated  and  provided 
with  pencils,  the  examiner  should  distribute  the  booklets 
to  them  with  the  request  that  they  be  not  opened  until  directions 
are  given.  When  the  information  blanks  on  the  title  page  have 
been  filled  out  satisfactorily,  the  examiner  should  ask  the  can- 
didates to  read  silently  the  directions  printed  on  the  title  page 
while  he  reads  them  aloud. 

“On  the  inside  of  this  booklet,  when  you  are  told  to  open  it, 
you  will  find  40  different  sentences,  at  the  end  of  each  one  of 
which  there  is  a list  of  words  from  which  you  are  to  choose  the 
proper  one  to  be  the  last  word.  When  you  are  told  to  turn  the 
page,  begin  with  the  first  sentence  and  make  a check  mark  (V) 
in  the  little  square  in  front  of  the  best  word  to  use  as  an  ending. 
Choose  the  word  which  will  make  the  truest  sentence.  Choose 
only  one  word  for  each  ending.  If  you  are  not  absolutely  cer- 
tain which  is  the  most  truthful,  make  a guess  and  try  the  next 
sentences . Ready ! Go ! ” 

(for  tests  see  pages  204-207) 


204 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Make  a check  mark  (]/)  in  the  square  in  front  of  that 
one  of  the  four  words  which  makes  the  best  sentence 
and  tells  the  most  exact  truth. 

1.  The  JERSEY  is  a kind  of  0 COW  □ DOG  □ CAT 
□ HORSE 


2.  GOLF  is  played  with  □ CARDS  DDICE  0 CLUBS 

□ BUTTONS 

3.  FATIMA  is  the  name  of  a □ CIGAR  □ CLOTH 

□ PIPE  0 CIGARETTE 

4.  A SAW  is  used  by  a 0 PAINTER  0 PLUMBER 

□ CARPENTER  0 PLASTERER 

5.  An  EMERALD  is  □ GREEN  0 RED  0 BLUE 
0 BLACK 

6.  DETROIT  is  noted  for  its  0 BREWING  0 TEX- 
TILES 0 AUTOMOBILES  0 PRINTING 

7.  A SPANIEL  is  a kind  of  0 SHEEP  0 GOAT  0 DOG 

□ MULE 

8.  MAUDE  ADAMS  is  noted  as  a 0 DANCER  0 ACT- 
RESS 0 NURSE  0 WRITER 

9.  CANDY  is  made  by  0 FORD  0 HUYLER  0 COL- 
GATE 0 MACMILLAN 

10.  The  CIVIL  WAR  began  in  0 1848  0 1860  0 1861 
0 1865 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


205 


Make  a check  mark  (]/)  in  the  square  in  front  of  that 
one  of  the  four  words  which  makes  the  best  sentence 
and  tells  the  most  exact  truth. 


11.  The  SHERIFF  is  an  officer  of  the  □ CITY  0 COUNTY 
□ STATE  □ NATION 


12.  RUBENS  is  famous  as  a □ POET  □ SCIENTIST 

□ CARTOONIST  □ PAINTER 

13.  The  HARLEY  DAVIDSON  is  an  □ AUTOMOBILE  ’ j 

□ AEROPLANE  □MOTORCYCLE  □KITE 

14.  MEREDITH  NICHOLSON  is  a □ HUMORIST 

□ NOVELIST  □POET  □MUSICIAN 

15.  BUILT  LIKE  A SKYSCRAPER  is  an  “ad  ” for  a □ BED  ^ 

□ TRUNK  □FILING-CASE  □STOVE 

16.  The  KILOMETER  measures  □ ELECTRICITY 

□ DISTANCE  □GAS  □WATER 

17.  The  TIBIA  is  in  the  □ LEG  □ ARM  □ CHEST 

□ HEAD 

18.  CORAL  is  found  in  □ TREES  □ REEFS  □ MOL- 
LUSKS  □ MINES 


19.  CLYSMIC  is  a kind  of  □ WINE  □ CLOTH  ^ 

□ WATER  □ METAL 

20.  UNCLE  TOM’S  CABIN  was  written  by  □ POE 

□ STOWE  □HAWTHORNE  □ IRVING  cover) 


206 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Make  a check  mark  (i/)  in  the  square  in  front  of  that 
one  of  the  four  words  which  makes  the  best  sentence 
and  tells  the  most  exact  truth. 


21.  JOHN  HAY  was  a □ BANKER  □ ENGINEER 
□ PREACHER  □ STATESMAN 


22.  VASSAR  COLLEGE  is  at  □ POUGHKEEPSIE 
□ ITHACA  □BOSTON  □CAMBRIDGE 

23.  A SUBPOENA  is  used  in  □INSURANCE  □MEDI- 
CINE □ LAW  □ WAR 


24.  The  number  of  a BANTU’S  legs  is  □ ONE  □ TWO 

□ FOUR  □EIGHT 

25.  SAMPSON  BRASS  is  a character  in  □SCOTT  □POE 

□ DICKENS  □BURNS 

26.  The  HANDLE Y-PAGE  plane  is  made  in  □ FRANCE 

□ JAPAN  □ ENGLAND  □AMERICA 

27.  The  FALCON  is  an  □ INSECT  □ BIRD  □ TOOL 

□ STONE 


28.  DRIBBLE  is  a term  used  in  □ HUNTING  □ THE- 
OLOGY □ LAW  □ ATHLETICS 

29.  PHEZ  is  a □ FABRIC  □ DANCE  □ GAME 

□ DRINK 

30.  HIGGINS  manufactures  □ FURNITURE  □ BOOKS 

□ GLASSWARE  □ INK 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


207 


Make  a check  mark  (|/)  in  the  square  in  front  of  that 
one  of  the  four  words  which  makes  the  best  sentence 
and  tells  the  most  exact  truth. 


31.  GUAVA  is  a kind  of  □ FISH  □ BIRD  □ ANIMAL 

□ FRUIT 

32.  An  EQUILATERAL  TRIANGLE  is  also  □ RIGHT 

□ ISOSCELES  □ SCALENE  DACUTE 

33.  The  BATTLE  OF  HASTINGS  was  in  □ 1066  □ 1215 

□ 1453  □ 1607 


34.  The  AORTA  originates  in  the  □ HEAD  □ FEET 

□ ALPS  □ HEART 

35.  ENDIVE  is  a kind  of  □ STONE  □ TOOL  □ PLANT 

□ ANIMAL 

36.  SEOUL  is  in  □ PERSIA  □ KOREA  □ INDIA 

□ SYRIA 

37.  JOSEPH  PRIESTLEY  discovered  □ PONGEE  DAUS- 
TRALIA  □ OXYGEN  □ PRINTING 

38.  The  OBOE  is  used  in  □ MUSIC  □ MEDICINE 

□ GEOLOGY  □RELIGION 


39.  CHALLIS  is  a kind  of  □ DISH  □ DRINK  □ DANCE 
□ CLOTH 


40.  A RHESUS  is  a kind  of  □ FISH  □ BIRD  □ AN- 
IMAL □ REPTILE 


208 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


At  the  end  of  four  minutes  the  examiner  should  call  “Stop! 
The  time  is  up ! ” He  should  use  care  to  see  that  no  answers  are 
checked  after  the  signal  to  stop  has  been  given. 


Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  score  in  this  test  is  the  number  of  sentences  in  which  the 
right  conclusion  has  been  checked.  Credit  should  not  be  given 
for  checking  any  other  word  than  the  correct  one.  The  use  of 
the  stencil,  which  is  provided  with  each  package  of  test  booklets, 
will  save  a great  deal  of  eye  strain,  mental  fatigue,  and  time  in 
marking  these  tests.  This  stencil  makes  it  possible  for  an 
ordinary  clerk  to  score  the  40  sentences  accurately  in  a fraction 
of  a minute. 

The  total  score  in  the  test  should  be  entered  at  the  lower  right- 
hand  corner  of  the  title  page  of  the  test  booklet. 


Scores  from  0 to 

“ “ 4 “ 

“ “ 11  “ 

“ “ 24  “ 

“ “ 31  “ 


3 indicate 

Inferior  Ability 

10 

Low  Average  Ability 

23 

Average  Ability 

30 

High  Average  Ability 

40 

Superior  Ability 

Mentimeter  No.  19 
READING  VOCABULARY 


Character  of  the  Test. 

One  of  the  most  valuable  measures  of  any  individual  or  groiyp 
of  individuals  is  the  extent  of  the  vocabulary  found  necessary 
for  communication  and  social  activities.  The  Vocabulary  test 
which  is  used  in  connection  with  the  Stanford  Revision  of  the 
Binet  test,  and  which  is  quite  similar  to  Mentimeter  No.  14, 
has  been  shown  to  be  unusually  reliable  as  a measure  of  general 
intelligence.  The  Reading- Vocabulary  test  is  probably  not  so 
widely  usable  as  the  Speaking- Vocabulary  test,  but  it  can  be 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


a09 


applied  as  a group  test  and  is  therefore  probably  destined  to 
much  more  extensive  usefulness  than  the  individual  test. 

The  Reading- Vocabulary  test  cannot,  of  course,  be  given  to 
individuals  whose  ability  in  reading  is  less  than  that  ordinarily 
possessed  by  third-grade  public  school  children.  The  candidate 
must  not  only  be  able  to  recognize  the  words  that  appear  in  the 
test  and  to  know  their  meanings,  but  he  must  also  be  able  to 
classify  them  as  belonging  to  a particular  group  of  objects.  The 
method  of  the  test  requires  the  child  to  make  a check  mark  under 
the  family  name  which  would  include  the  particular  word  ap- 
pearing on  the  vocabulary  list.  The  instructions  will  not  be 
understood  except  by  fairly  intelligent  persons,  but  for  those 
who  can  understand  the  instructions  and  who  do  their  best  on 
the  test,  a very  useful  measure  will  be  the  result. 

Although  this  test  would  seem  at  first  glance  to  be  particularly 
well  adapted  to  the  selection  of  clerical  workers,  past  experience 
has  convinced  the  writers  that  it  is  also  useful  in  the  selection 
of  organizers  and  directors  of  men  as  well  as  of  organizers  and 
directors  of  thought.  The  relationship  between  the  score  in  this 
test  and  the  general  efficiency  of  an  employee  is  unusually  high. 

Teachers  will  find  the  Reading  Vocabulary  a splendid  index 
of  the  advancement  attained  by  new  pupils  coming  into  their 
rooms  for  the  first  time  or  of  the  pupils  who  have  been  with  them 
for  some  time.  It  is  useless  to  try  to  have  pupils  explain  the 
meaning  of  magazine  articles  or  of  selections  from  their  geog- 
raphies when  they  do  not  even  understand  the  words  used  in 
these  discussions.  It  would  be  very  much  worth  while  for  a 
teacher,  when  she  has  employed  this  test,  to  compare  the  diffi- 
culty of  the  words  which  cause  the  majority  of  her  class  to  stum- 
ble and  fail  with  the  difficulty  of  the  words  used  in  the  ordinary 
text-books  of  the  school. 

In  any  social  group  the  classification  of  the  forty  words  in 
this  list  would  be  found  rather  interesting  particularly  when  the 
errors  made  by  different  members  of  the  group  were  read  aloud 
for  the  amusement  of  the  entire  group.  It  should  not  be  sug- 


210 


MEASUEE  YOUR  MIND 


gested,  when  the  test  is  to  be  used  in  this  way,  that  there  is  any 
distinct  relationship  between  achievement  in  the  test  and 
achievement  in  life,  else  some  of  the  group  will  be  very  much 
disappointed  in  their  scores. 

Every  effort  should  be  made  to  have  such  a group  feel  that 
this  was  simply  a new  type  of  puzzle.  The  results  obtained 
under  such  conditions  should  not  be  compared  with  the  results 
obtained  under  the  standard  conditions  outlined  below. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

The  candidates  to  be  examined  should  be  comfortably  seated 
and  provided  with  well-sharpened  pencils.  The  examiner 
should  then  announce  that  the  booklets  which  he  would  dis- 
tribute were  not  to  be  opened  until  instructions  to  that  effect 
were  issued.  Booklets  should  be  distributed  unopened,  one  to 
each  individual.  Further  directions  should  be  issued  as  soon 
as  each  candidate  is  supplied  with  the  booklet,  authorizing  each 
individual  to  write  his  name,  his  age,  and  such  other  informa- 
tion as  is  desirable  on  the  title  page  of  the  booklet.  When  these 
preliminaries  have  been  finished  the  examiner  should  say : 

“When  I ask  you  to  open  your  booklet,  you  will  find  on  the 
inside  a list  of  forty  different  words.  The  test  is  to  determine 
how  many  of  these  words  you  can  read  and  identify.  At  the 
top  of  the  page  you  will  find  the  words.  Animal,  Body,  Bird, 
Colour,  Clothes,  Fish,  Time,  Tool,  and  War.  Each  of  the 
forty  words  to  be  identified  is  connected  with  or  is  a kind  of 
Animal,  Body,  Bird,  Colour,  or  other  kind  of  thing  mentioned 
at  the  top  of  the  page.  The  page  is  ruled  both  ways.  You  are 
to  look  at  each  word  in  the  column  on  the  left  and  to  make  a 
check  mark  at  the  right  of  it,  under  the  general  word  showing 
whether  the  word  you  are  marking  is  an  Animal,  a Body,  a 
Bird,  or  something  else.  You  will  be  allowed  exactly  four 
minutes  in  which  to  check  the  words.  Mark  as  many  of  the 
words  as  you  possibly  can  but  be  sure  to  check  them  correctly. 
Ready’  Go!” 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


211 


Indicate  the  meaning  of  each  of  the  forty  words  in 
the  column  on  the  left  by  making  a mark  (|/)  under 
the  proper  word. 


^CONNECTED  WITH,  OR  A KIND  OF 


ANIMAL 

BODY 

BIBD 

COLOUB 

CLOTHES 

FISH 

TIME 

TOOL 

WAR 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

wren 

11 

tan 

12 

cod 

IS 

troops 

14 

year 

15 

conquer 

16 

stag 

17 

minnow 

18 

month 

19 

kimono 

20 

rampart 

21 

thigh 

22 

carmine 

23 

partridge 

24 

sturgeon 

25 

ratchet 

26 

interim 

27 

peccarv 

28 

mauve 

29 

citadel 

30 

ephemeral 

31 

tartan 

32 

peritoneum 

33 

petrel 

34 

tench 

35 

vomer 

36 

burgonet 

37 

burin 

38 

desman 

39 

tinamou 

40 

212 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


At  the  end  of  exactly  four  minutes  the  examiner  should  call 
“Stop!  Time  up!  Close  your  papers  and  hand  them  to  me.” 
All  papers  should  be  collected  at  once. 

Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  total  score  in  this  test  is  the  number  of  words  correctly 
checked.  The  work  of  checking  the  accuracy  of  marks  made 
by  the  candidates  is  very  much  simplified  by  the  stencil  which 
accompanies  each  package  of  examination  booklets.  This 
stencil  indicates  exactly  where  a check  should  be  made  in  each 
case. 

The  total  number  of  words  correctly  checked  should  be  en- 
tered in  the  lower  right-hand  corner  of  the  title  page  of  the 


examination  booklet. 
Scores  from  0 to 

8 indicate  Inferior  Ability 

“ “ 9 “ 

14 

Low  Average  Ability 

« “ 15  “ 

24 

“ Average  Ability 

“ « 25  « 

29 

“ High  Average  Ability 

“ “ 30  “ 

40 

“ Superior  Ability 

Mentimeter  No.  20 
READING:  DIRECTIONS 

Character  of  the  Test. 

In  the  United  States  Army  an  oflScer  frequently  calls  one  of 
his  orderlies  to  his  desk  and  issues  orders  somewhat  as  follows : 
“Present  my  compliments  to  Lieutenant  Smith  and  ask  him 
to  report  at  my  office  to-morrow  afternoon  at  3.15  for  his  orders 
regarding  the  disposition  of  garbage  from  the  kitchen  of  Company 
E.  Tell  Corporal  Jones  in  Barracks  17  to  take  a detail  of  four 
men  and  report  at  5.00  o’clock  this  evening  to  Sergeant  Katz 
at  the  Second  Battalion  Officers’  Mess.  Deliver  this  package 
to  the  Adjutant  of  the  Base  Hospital  and  ask  him  to  let  me 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


213 


know  at  once  what  should  be  done  with  the  S.  C.  D.  papers 
brought  to  me  this  morning  by  Lieutenant  Johnson.”  The 
orderly  must  be  able  to  carry  out  these  orders  without  their 
repetition  or  explanation.  He  should  reply,  “Yes,  sir,”  by  way 
of  making  it  clear  that  he  has  understood  and  will  obey  the 
directions,  but  should  say  nothing  more. 

The  first  test  in  the  Alpha  series  used  in  the  Army  was  in- 
tended to  measure  how  complicated  a series  of  directions  could 
be  grasped  by  the  soldier  and  executed  without  errors.  The 
Mentimeter  test  differs  from  its  military  counterpart  in  that 
the  directions  are  to  be  printed  rather  than  spoken,  and  in  that 
the  increasing  difficulty  arises  from  the  increasing  complexity 
and  obscurity  of  the  words  employed  rather  than  from  the 
length  of  the  directions  to  be  held  in  mind.  Whether  these 
changes  will  increase  or  decrease  the  value  of  the  test  cannot 
be  stated  in  advance  of  actual  trials. 


Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

As  soon  as  the  candidates  have  been  provided  with  pencils, 
writing  surfaces,  and  comfortable  seats,  the  examiner  should 
distribute  the  examination  leaflets  with  the  instruction  that  the 
blanks  at  the  top  of  the  title  page  be  filled  out  at  once  and  that 
no  one  should  turn  the  leaflet  until  the  direction  to  do  so  be 
given. 

The  test  should  be  introduced  by  the  request  from  the  ex- 
aminer that  everyone  look  at  the  directions  on  the  title  page 
while  they  are  being  read  aloud,  “When  you  are  told  to  turn 
your  leaflet  and  go  to  work,  you  will  find  on  the  other  side  very 
full  direetions  as  to  what  you  are  to  do.  This  is  a test  to  find 
out  how  well  you  can  understand  directions,  so  read  them  care- 
fully and  do  exactly  what  they  tell  you  to  do.  Ready ! Turn 
your  leaflets  and  go  to  work.” 

Exaetly  three  minutes  should  be  allowed  for  this  work.  At 
the  end  of  three  minutes  the  examiner  should  call  “Stop!  The 


214 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


time  is  up!  Turn  over  your  leaflet  and  hand  it  to  me.”  The 
test  sheets  should  be  collected  at  once. 

Do  what  it  says. 

1.  Write  your  name  on  this  line. 

2.  Make  a cross  in  the  square. 

3.  Make  a cross  in  the  circle  and  a dot  in  the  square. 

o □ 

4.  Make  a figure  1 under  the  letter  M and  a figure  2 under 

the  letter  W. 

ANWVHMZUY 

Do  what  it  says. 

5.  If  Decoration  Day  comes  in  the  winter,  write  the  word 

“No.”  If  not,  write  the  word  “Yes.” 

6.  Cross  out  the  shortest  word  in  this  sentence  and  draw  two 

lines  around  the  ninth  word. 

7.  Look  at  the  three  blanks  printed  below.  On  the  first 

blank  write  the  number  of  days  in  a week,  on  the  second 
the  number  of  months  in  a year,  and  on  the  third  the 
number  of  years  in  a century. 


8.  Write  in  the  square  on  the  left  the  right  answer  to  the  ques- 

tion: “How  many  dimes  make  a dollar? ” In  the  second 
square  make  a small  circle,  and  in  the  third  triangle 
write  the  letter  “C.” 

□ A DA  □ A 

9.  If  a peck  is  a greater  magnitude  than  a bushel,  cross  out 

the  word  “pint”  unless  a pint  holds  a smaller  quantity 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


215 


than  a quart,  in  which  case  draw  a line  under  the  first 
word  after  bushel. 

QUART  BUSHEL  PECK  PINT 

10.  If  a centimeter  is  more  than  half  as  long  as  an  inch, 

write  in  the  square  the  number  of  inches  in  a yard. 

If  a meter  is  more  than  three  feet,  then  write  in 
the  circle  the  number  of  meters  in  a kilometer. 

11.  If  the  oscillations  of  a pendulum  were  not  facilitated  by  any 

other  force  than  gravity,  what  would  be  the  effect  upon 
their  amplitude.^  Check  the  best  reply: 

It  would  gradually  be 

□ augmented.  □ flagellated. 

□ diminished.  □ swaged. 

Do  what  it  says. 

12.  If  ontogeny  invariably  ingeminates  phylogeny,  circumscribe 

the  word  giving  the  location  of  the  OURCQ;  if  not, 
underscore  the  word  that  locates  the  MANDIBLE. 
England  Foot  Utah  Face  Peru  France  Arm  India 


Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  score  is  the  number  of  directions  which  were  perfectly 
obeyed  without  error.  A failure  to  do  any  part  of  the  thing 
directed  or  the  performance  of  extra  things  not  asked  should 
act  to  withhold  credit  for  an  element.  The  total  number  of 
credits  should  be  entered  in  the  lower  right-hand  corner  of  the 
title  page  of  the  test  leaflet. 


Scores  from 
(<  (< 

« << 

<(  it 

it  ti 


0 to  2 indicate  Inferior  Ability 

3 “ 5 “ Low  Average  Ability 

6 “ 8 “ Average  Ability 

9 ‘‘  10  “ High  Average  Ability 

11  “ 12  “ Superior  Ability 


on 


216  MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 

Mentimeter  No.  21 
READING:  INTERPRETATION 
Character  of  the  Test. 

This  test  is  a specially  devised  method  of  determining  the 
ability  of  an  individual  to  secure  from  the  printed  page  the  ideas 
which  are  expressed  in  sentences  and  paragraphs.  It  is  prob- 
able that  no  single  test  of  reading  can  be  devised  which  would 
measure  all  phases  of  the  subject  equally  well.  This  particular 
test  attempts  to  measure  the  special  ability  to  interpret  the 
meanings  of  sentences  and  paragraphs,  although  it  assumes 
that  the  words  of  which  these  larger  units  are  composed  are 
recognized  and  understood  by  the  reader. 

The  test  is  arranged  with  very  simple  sentences  at  the  begin- 
ning followed  by  more  and  more  difficult  sentences  until  at  the 
last  there  are  statements  the  meaning  of  which  very  intellectual 
people  might  fail  to  grasp  at  first  sight.  The  questions  which 
are  asked  regarding  the  paragraphs  likewise  increase  in  difficulty 
so  that  the  ultimate  score  obtained  by  the  candidate  indicates 
rather  distinctly  how  difficult  are  the  sentences  or  paragraphs 
he  is  able  to  understand  and  answer  questions  about. 

It  is  not  probable  that  a great  field  of  usefulness  will  be  found 
for  this  test  in  industrial  life,  although  it  might  very  well  be 
used  in  any  establishment  where  the  question  of  the  degree  of 
literacy  in  the  employee  was  of  any  importance.  Tests  fash- 
ioned on  this  order  would  be  tremendously  valuable  as  a basis 
for  classifying  according  to  degree  of  literacy  the  immigrants 
entering  this  country.  Some  such  objective  measure  as  this 
is  very  much  needed  in  the  taking  of  the  census.  Where  at 
present  almost  any  man  or  woman  who  can  barely  write  his  or 
her  name  is  entered  on  the  census  records  as  being  able  to  read 
and  write,  the  crude  examination  for  literacy  which  was  em- 
ployed by  the  psychologists  in  the  U.  S.  Army  illustrates  con- 
clusively that  about  three  times  as  many  people  are  unable  to 
make  any  practical  use  of  reading  and  writing  as  the  census 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


217 


figures  would  lead  one  to  believe.  It  seems  certain  from  the 
facts  obtained  in  the  Army  that  at  least  one  half  of  the  popula- 
tion of  the  United  States  would  be  unable  to  answer  more  than 
eight  of  the  sixteen  questions  included  in  this  Mentimeter. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test, 

It  is  particularly  desirable  that  the  room  in  which  the  test  is 
given  should  be  well  lighted  and  comfortable.  Before  distributing 
the  tests  the  usual  caution,  “Do  not  open  this  booklet  until 
you  are  told  to  do  so,”  should  be  given.  One  test  booklet  should 
then  be  given  to  each  candidate.  As  soon  as  all  have  received 
their  blanks  the  examiner  should  give  the  directions  for  filling 
out  the  information  blanks  on  the  title  page  of  the  booklet.  If 
very  young  children  or  very  dull  adults  are  being  examined  it 
will  be  necessary  to  give  specific  directions  about  these  blanks. 
As  soon  as  the  blanks  are  filled  the  examiner  should  ask  the 
group  to  read  silently  the  directions  as  he  reads  them  aloud. 

“When  you  are  told  to  turn  the  page  you  will  find  on  the 
inside  three  paragraphs  of  printed  matter.  You  are  to  read 
these  paragraphs  very  carefully  and  then,  turning  the  page  once 
more,  you  will  find  sixteen  questions  about  the  three  paragraphs 
you  have  just  read.  You  are  to  write  the  answers  to  the  ques- 
tions on  the  blank  lines  provided  for  the  purpose.  You  may 
turn  back  to  the  printed  matter  and  look  for  the  answers  as 
often  as  you  need  to,  but  you  will  only  have  ten  minutes  in 
which  to  do  your  reading  and  the  answering  of  the  questions, 
so  be  sure  to  answer  all  the  questions  you  can.  The  first  ques- 
tions are  easier  than  those  which  follow,  so  answer  them  in  the 
order  in  which  they  come. 

“Remember  that  when  I say  ‘Go’  you  are  to  begin  reading 
and  to  read  as  fast  as  you  can,  then  to  answer  as  many  questions 
as  you  can  on  the  next  page.  Ready,  Go.” 

Exactly  ten  minutes  after  saying  “Go”  the  examiner  should 
call  “Stop!  The  time  is  up!  Close  your  papers  and  hand 
them  to  me.”  All  papers  should  be  collected  at  once. 


218  MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 

FIND  THE  ANSWERS  TO  THE  QUESTIONS  BY  READING 
WHAT  IT  SAYS  BELOW 

Boys  like  to  run  and  play  in  the  street.  Girls  like  to  stay  in  the  house 
and  play  with  their  dolls.  As  the  girls  grow  older  some  of  them  learn 
to  cook  and  to  help  their  mothers  in  the  home,  while  others  learn  to 
work  in  shops,  mills,  and  offices.  Some  boys  learn  as  they  grow  up  to 
work  on  the  farms,  while  others  obtain  positions  in  stores,  mines,  and 
factories.  Even  before  they  grow  to  be  men  and  women,  people  differ 
in  the  things  they  enjoy  and  in  the  things  they  are  able  to  do. 

It  is  fortunate  that  people  are  so  different,  for  the  world  has  all  sorts 
of  work  that  must  be  done.  Wheat,  corn,  and  cattle  must  be  raised  to 
supply  the  world  with  food.  Cotton  and  wool  must  be  made  into 
clothing  to  keep  us  warm,  while  wood  and  stone  must  be  made  into 
houses  to  protect  us  from  the  rain  and  the  snow.  The  work  of  the 
world  requires  that  some  people  be  farmers,  others  manufacturers, 
others  merchants,  others  doctors,  and  so  on.  If  we  were  all  exactly 
alike  in  our  tastes  and  abilities,  much  of  the  world’s  work  would  have 
to  be  done  by  persons  whose  inclinations  and  capacities  were  in  fields 
of  endeavour  entirely  different  from  those  in  which  they  would  be  re- 
quired to  labour.  The  fact  that  people  are  so  different  makes  possible 
an  adjustment  whereby  the  ability  and  interest  of  the  labourer  may  be 
in  proportion  to  the  difficulty  of  the  undertaking  to  which  he  is  assigned. 

Perhaps  nothing  makes  a larger  contribution  to  the  happiness  and 
contentment  of  the  world  than  this  adjustment  of  the  individual  to  his 
vocation,  and  yet  the  problem  of  securing  such  an  adjustment  is  com- 
plicated by  an  enormous  number  of  practical  difficulties.  One  of  the 
most  annoying  elements  in  this  problem  of  adjustment  has  been  the 
impossibility  of  making  expeditiously  an  effectual  classification  of 
candidates  according  to  native  capacity  and  endowment.  Psycholo- 
gists and  statisticians  have,  however,  during  the  past  decade  evolved 
methods  of  intellectual  measurement  which  demonstrate  the  feasibility 
and  economic  utility  of  the  procedure  and  adumbrate  to  some  extent 
the  social  satisfactions  that  will  ensue  when  the  science  of  personnel 
engineering  has  been  consummated. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


219 


WRITE  THE  ANSWERS  TO  THESE  QUESTIONS 

1.  Who  like  to  play  in  the  street?  

2.  Where  do  little  girls  like  to  play?  

3.  Who  learn  to  help  their  mothers?  

4.  Where  do  older  boys  find  jobs?  

5.  In  what  two  ways  are  people  said  to  differ  early  in  life?  . . 

6.  What  kinds  of  food  are  mentioned?  

7.  For  what  purpose  do  people  work  with  wool  and  cotton? 

8.  What  reason  is  given  for  building  houses?  

9.  W^hat  is  the  topic  of  the  first  paragraph?  

10.  Why  are  differences  between  people  spoken  of  in  the  second 

paragraph  as  a wise  provision  of  nature?  

11.  Check  the  right  answer  to  this  question:  What  does  the 

second  paragraph  suggest  as  the  probable  result  upon  the 
world’s  work  if  all  people  were  just  alike? 

□ It  would  not  be  □ Some  of  it  would  be 


12.  What  characteristic  of  a task  needs  to  correspond  to  the 

ability  of  the  worker?  

13.  What  is  suggested  in  the  third  paragraph  as  the  probable 

result  of  failing  to  place  men  in  positions  suited  to  their 
abilities?  

14.  It  is  quite  common  to  determine  a man’s  ability  by  trying 

him  out  in  the  job.  What  objection  to  this  plan  does 
any  word  in  the  third  paragraph  suggest? 


15.  What  procedure  is  said  to  be  a practical  means  of  saving 

time  and  money  in  the  selection  of  men  for  positions? 

16.  What  is  stated  as  a probable  cause  for  general  gratification 

at  some  future  time?  


done. 

□ It  would  be  well 
done. 


improved. 

n Much  of  it  would  be 
poorly  done. 


220 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  score  in  this  test  is  the  number  of  questions  correctly- 
answered.  A stencil  is  provided  with  each  set  of  test  book- 
lets by  the  aid  of  which  it  is  fairly  simple  to  mark  an  answer  as 
right  or  wrong.  An  answer  should  be  considered  wrong  if  it 
does  not  prove  in  itself  that  the  candidate  had  read  the  para- 
graph and  obtained  his  information  from  it.  Any  answer  which 
is  true  in  general  life  but  which  is  not  suggested  by  the  reading 
material  on  the  previous  page,  should  not  be  accepted 


Scores  from  0 to  3 indicate 

“ “ 4 “ 7 

« “ 8 ‘‘  \2 

“ “ 13  “14 

“ “ 15  “16 


Inferior  Ability 
Low  Average  Ability 
Average  Ability 
High  Average  Ability 
Superior  Ability 


Mentimeter  No.  22 
DISARRANGED  SENTENCES 


Character  of  the  Test. 

Publishers  and  editors  have  for  many  years  insisted  upon 
having  intelligent  compositors  and  type-setters.  The  printer’s 
pi  is  probably  as  comprehensive  a test  of  intelligence  as  any 
in  the  Mentimeter  series.  In  the  Binet  tests,  one  of  the  most 
interesting  parts  of  the  examination  is  where  children  are  asked 
to  take  certain  words  and  rearrange  them  to  make  a sentence. 
This  is  not  exactly  the  same  problem  that  the  type-setter  faces 
with  pi,  but  it  is  related  to  it.  A disarranged  sentence  test 
was  used  in  the  military  examinations,  but  in  order  to  make  the 
scoring  simple  and  to  include  elements  of  intellectual  capacity 
other  than  ability  to  rearrange  words,  the  soldiers  were  asked  to 
check  the  resulting  sentence  as  “true”  or  “false.”  Here  again, 
without  being  able  to  read  a single  word  of  the  sentences  which 
had  been  disarranged,  the  soldiers  would  be  able  to  make  check 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


221 


marks  in  the  correct  place  by  mere  chance  in  half  the  cases. 
The  method  of  scoring  used  in  the  Army  was  calculated  to 
overcome  this  difficulty,  but  even  then  the  results  were  not  as 
reliable  as  they  should  be  in  the  case  of  the  Mentimeter  form 
presented  below. 

This  test  contains  twenty-five  sentences  in  each  one  of  which 
the  words  have  been  mixed  up  and  disarranged  so  that  a real 
amount  of  imagination  is  necessary  in  order  to  guess  what  the 
sentence  was  in  the  first  place.  The  first  sentence  contains 
only  three  words  and  is  very  easily  arranged,  while  the  later 
sentences  are  quite  complicated  and  difficult.  In  order  to  in- 
dicate what  the  true  arrangement  of  the  original  sentence  was, 
each  candidate  is  asked  to  place  a period  at  the  end  of  the  word 
which  would  be  last  if  the  sentence  were  properly  arranged. 
The  resulting  score  may  be  taken  as  a fairly  reliable  index  of 
ability  to  ‘‘unscramble”  words  in  sentences. 

This  test  is  very  closely  related  to  several  of  the  other  tests 
which  appear  in  the  Mentimeter  series  in  that  it  involves  the 
ability  to  think  about  words  and  the  things  for  which  words 
stand  and  the  relationships  between  these  words  and  these 
things.  The  type  of  ability  necessary  for  this  test  is  the  sort 
which  makes  for  success  in  education  and  the  learned  professions, 
provided  social  and  personal  qualities  are  equal  to  the  intellect- 
ual attainments. 

This  test  is  also  very  entertaining  as  a parlour  game  and 
may  be  used  without  offense  to  any  one,  if  no  mention  is  made 
of  the  relationship  of  the  results  to  mental  ability. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

When  the  candidates  have  been  seated  and  supplied  with 
pencils,  the  examiner  should  distribute  copies  of  the  test  book- 
lets with  the  direction  that  none  be  opened  until  the  instruc- 
tion to  do  so  is  given.  After  having  the  identifying  information 
called  for  on  the  blanks  of  the  title  page  filled  out  by  the  can- 
didates, the  examiner  should  ask  that  all  candidates  look  care- 


222 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


fully  at  their  papers  and  read  silently  the  directions  while  he 
reads  them  aloud:  “A  sentence  is  a list  of  words  which  says 

something  that  we  can  understand.  When  you  open  the  papers, 
you  will  find  on  the  inside  twenty -five  sets  of  words  which  are 
not  good  sentences  as  they  stand,  but  which  would  make  good 
sentences  and  would  sound  sensible  if  they  were  changed  around 
and  put  in  a different  order.  Look  at  the  samples  given  below: 

Sample  A:  KILL  MICE  CATS 

Sample  B:  HAS  BOOK  IT  PICTURES  THE  IN 

“Sample  A would  make  a good  sentence  if  it  were  arranged  in 
the  order  ‘CATS  KILL  MICE’  and  therefore  there  should  be 
a period  after  the  word  ‘mice’  to  show  the  end  of  the  sentence. 
In  Sample  B,  we  should  have  a good  sentence  if  the  words  were 
changed  around  to  read:  ‘THE  BOOK  HAS  PICTURES  IN 
IT.’  The  end  of  the  sentence  is  ‘it,’  and  therefore  there  should 
be  in  sample  B a period  after  the  word  ‘it.’ 

“When  you  turn  the  page,  begin  with  the  first  set  of  words 
and  study  out  what  the  sentence  would  be,  then  put  a period 
after  the  word  which  would  come  last.  Work  right  down  the 
page  until  time  is  called.  You  will  have  two  minutes  in  which 
to  put  in  the  periods  of  as  many  sentences  as  possible.  Ready! 
Open  your  books  1 Go  to  work.” 

Exactly  two  minutes  after  saying  the  word,  “work,”  the 
examiner  should  call  “Stop!  Close  your  books!  Give  them  to 
me.”  The  papers  should  be  collected  at  once. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


223 


Put  a period  at  the  end  of  the  word  which  would  come 
last  if  the  words  on  each  line  were  arranged  in  a sentence. 

1.  IS  WHITE  SNOW . 1 

2.  THE  IS  BIRD  A ROBIN 2 

3.  WATER  IN  FISH  SWIM 3 

4.  WHITE  IN  LIVE  HOUSES  PEOPLE  .....  4 

5.  WITH  TO  ARE  HEAR  EARS  OUR 5 

6.  THE  IN  SETS  WEST  SUN  THE 6 

7.  GOOD  FIGHT  COUNTRY  SOLDIERS  THEIR  FOR  7 

8.  WINTER  THE  COLDEST  THE  ARE  MONTHS  . 8 

9.  IS  A MILK  AND  FOOD  HEALTHFUL  GOOD  . . 9 

10.  FROM  EARTH  DIAMONDS  THE  MINED  ARE  . 10 

11.  FOOD  VALUABLE  POTATOES  AS  ARE  A . . . 11 

12.  AND  ON  GROW  ORANGES  TREES  APPLES  . . 12 

13.  FOUGHT  FRANCE  GERMANY  AND  AGAINST 

ENGLAND 13 

14.  ALWAYS  DEEDS  SHOULD  BAD  PUNISHED  BE  14 

15.  SEVERAL  OCEAN  THE  TAKES  DAYS  CROSS 

TO  IT 15 

16.  FEW  MAKING  A IMPOSSIBLE  AVOID  IT  TO  IS 

MISTAKES 16 

17.  CAN  NIGHTS  ON  BE  MANY  NOT  THE  SEEN 

MOON 17 

18.  CLOTHING  USEFUL  ARE  FOR  AND  MAKING 


19.  BY  COMMONLY  IS  DEBATERS  VERY  METHOD 

IRONY  A USED 19 

20.  EXTREMELY  POISONOUS]  WARFARE  MANY 

THE  OF  ARE  IN  USED  GASES 20 

(over) 


224 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Put  a period  at  the  end  of  the  word  which  would  come 
last  if  the  words  on  each  line  were  arranged  in  a sentence. 


21.  UNFORTUNATE  IT  MANUAL  CONSIDERED 

IS  THAT  SOMETIMES  LABOUR  DEGRADING,  21 

22.  CERTAIN  THE  ARE  OF  AND  CRIMES.  NAMES 

BIGAMY  LEGAL  PERJURY 22 

23.  THE  BETWEEN  BY  AND  ARE  DIFFERENCES 

STUDIED  REASONING  PSYCHOLOGISTS 
HABIT.  BEING 23 

24.  MORE  TRAITS  DESIRABLE  CHARACTER 

STEALING.  TIMIDITY  OF  AND  ARE  MEEK- 
NESS THAN 24 

25.  FACT  CAN  OBSERVED  MAY  KIND  METHODS 

TO  APPLIED  EVERY  STATISTICAL  THAT  BE 
OF 25 


Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  score  in  this  test  is  the  number  of  sentences  in  which  the 
period  has  been  correctly  placed.  If  a mark  appears  to  be 
accidental,  it  should  not  be  held  against  the  credit  of  the  candi- 
date. The  stencil  provided  with  the  test  leaflets  simplifies 
very  greatly  the  marking  of  this  test. 

The  total  number  of  points  credit  should  be  entered  in  the 
lower  right-hand  corner  of  the  title  page  of  the  test  leaflet. 

Scores  of  0 to  3 indicate  Inferior  Ability 

“ “ 4 “ 7 “ Low  Average  Ability 

« “ 8 “ 16  “ Average  Ability 

“ “ 17  “ 20  ‘‘  High  Average  Ability 

“ “ 21  “ 25  “ Superior  Ability 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


225 


Mentimeter  No.  23 
COMPLETION  OF  SENTENCES 

Character  of  the  Test. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  satisfactory  group  tests  available  for 
persons  with  a reading  knowledge  of  the  English  language.  The 
test  consists  of  a series  of  sentences  in  each  of  which  certain 
words  have  been  omitted.  Dotted  lines  appear  at  those  places 
where  words  are  missing.  The  persons  being  examined  are 
asked  to  write  on  the  dotted  lines  the  words  which  have  been 
left  out.  The  blanks  left  in  the  sentences  are  all  of  the  same 
length  in  order  not  to  suggest  the  word  to  be  used.  The  Men- 
timeter form  of  the  test  contains  20  sentences,  graduated  in 
difficulty,  from  very  simple  sentences  which  the  average 
second-grade  public  school  pupil  can  complete  easily,  to  very 
difficult  sentences  which  the  average  college  student  will  be 
unable  to  complete  satisfactorily  within  the  time  limit. 

The  ease  with  which  one  can  understand  what  is  to  be  done  in 
this  test  makes  it  particularly  useful  with  children  in  the  ele- 
mentary schools,  and  with  adults  of  little  education,  as  a meas- 
ure of  language  ability  and  general  intellectual  capacity  in  the 
manipulation  of  ideas  and  words.  Although  it  has  been  used 
by  many  teachers  and  supervisors  as  a test  of  reading  ability, 
it  should  probably  be  classified  rather  as  an  intelligence  test 
than  as  an  educational  measuring  instrument.  Teachers  do 
not  and  should  not  give  direct  instruction  in  the  art  of  writing 
missing  words,  for  almost  no  situation  will  arise  in  practical  life 
where  this  sort  of  skill  would  be  necessary. 

It  is  very  difficult  to  determine  just  what  mental  powers  are 
tested  by  the  sentence  completion  test.  Quite  certainly  the 
result  obtained  is  a complex  effect.  The  person  who  is  suc- 
cessful in  this  test  must  first  of  all  be  able  to  read  and  under- 
stand the  words  which  are  actually  present  in  any  sentence;  he 
must  have  certain  habits  of  associating  other  words  not  present 


226 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


with  those  which  do  appear;  from  all  of  the  words  which  come  to 
his  mind  as  associates  of  the  printed  words,  he  must  choose  those 
which  fit  most  aptly  the  thought  expressed;  and  from  those 
words  which  would  fit  into  the  thought  of  the  sentence  he  must 
use  good  judgment  in  selecting  and  writing  the  one  which  makes 
the  smoothest  and  best  sentence.  Lack  of  mental  ability  or  of 
familiarity  with  the  English  language  will  result  in  a poor  show- 
ing at  almost  any  step  of  the  process  and  in  a low  score  in  the 
test  as  a whole. 

This  test  will  probably  be  found  most  useful  in  selecting  those 
commercial  and  industrial  workers  who  in  the  course  of  their 
work  will  be  called  upon  to  make  extensive  use  of  language  and 
printed  symbols,  although  it  has  been  used  successfully  in  many 
parts  of  the  country  in  the  selection  of  salesmen,  shop  foremen, 
firemen,  policemen,  and  other  non-clerical  workers.  The  re- 
lationship between  success  in  this  test  and  general  success  in  life 
is  extraordinarily  close. 

In  the  public  schools  this  test  is  particularly  valuable  as  a first 
means  of  identifying  pupils  of  unusual  ability.  Any  child  who 
makes  five  or  more  points  above  the  average  for  his  grade  should 
be  further  tested  with  the  Number  Series  Completion  (Menti- 
meter  No.  9)  and  the  Analogies  tests  (Mentimeter  No.  24).  If 
his  scores  in  these  tests  are  distinctly  above  the  average,  he  should 
be  sent  to  the  psychologist  for  special  examination,  and  if  the 
psychologist’s  findings  agree  with  the  findings  of  these  tests, 
as  they  usually  will,  then  the  child  should  be  given  special  op- 
portunities for  rapid  progress  and  more  varied  activities  in 
school.  Similarly,  if  a pupil  obtains  a score  which  is  five  or 
more  points  below  the  average  for  his  grade,  he  should  be  ex- 
amined with  the  Completion  of  Form  Series  test  (Mentimeter 
No.  6)  and  the  Pictorial  Absurdities  test  (Mentimeter  No.  2),  and 
if  his  scores  in  these  tests  are  also  below  the  average,  he  should 
be  referred  to  the  psychologist  for  special  examination  and  rec- 
ommendations as  to  type  of  instruction  best  suited  to  his 
mental  abilities. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


22  ■ 


Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

When  all  candidates  have  been  seated  and  provided  with 
convenient  writing  materials,  one  copy  of  the  examination  book- 
let should  be  given  to  each  candidate.  A general  announce- 
ment should  be  given  either  before  distributing  the  booklets  or 
while  they  are  being  distributed,  to  the  effect  that  no  one  is 
to  open  the  booklet  or  turn  it  over  until  directed  to  do  so.  The 
candidates  may  be  instructed  to  fill  out  the  blanks  on  the  title 
page  if  they  are  intelligent  enough  to  understand  what  is  wanted 
on  these  blanks.  K young  children  are  being  examined,  the  ex- 
aminer should  state  very  clearly  just  what  is  to  be  done.  For 
example;  “Write  your  name  on  the  dotted  line  after  the  word 
‘Name.’  Write  your  age  at  your  last  birthday  on  the  dotted 
line  which  follows  the  words  ‘Age  at  Last  Birthday’.”  Care 
should  be  taken  that  no  child  gets  an  unfair  advantage  by 
opening  his  book  and  beginning  work  before  the  following 
directions  have  been  read  aloud  by  the  examiner  while  the  chil- 
dren read  them  silently  from  their  booklets. 

“When  you  open  your  booklets  you  will  find  on  the  inside 
twenty  sentences,  from  each  of  which  one  or  more  words  have 
been  left  out.  You  are  to  guess  what  words  were  left  out  and 
to  write  them  on  the  dotted  lines  which  show  where  these  words 
should  be.  Be  very  careful  to  write  the  best  word  you  can  think 
of  on  each  blank.  Write  only  one  word  on  each  of  the  blanks. 
Make  each  sentence  sound  just  as  sensible  as  you  can.  You 
will  have  ten  minutes  in  which  to  write.  Work  rapidly  and 
carefully.  Ready!  Go!” 

Exactly  ten  minutes  after  saying,  “Go!”  the  examiner  should 
call  “Stop!  Time  up!  Give  me  your  papers!”  All  papers 
should  be  collected  at  once. 


228 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Write  only  one  word  on  each  blank. 

1.  The  dog’s  name Jack. 

2.  Little  children  go bed  early. 

3.  The  boy two  dollars  to  the  Red  Cross. 

4.  The  httle likes play  with  her  dolls. 

5.  Puppies kittens  grow  to  be and  cats. 

6.  The  best  children the  most  friends. 

7.  One  should be  rude  to  his 

8.  The  poor . .was  hurt  when  he  slipped  and 

on  the  street. 

9.  It amusing watch  men  chasing  their 

hats  on  a day. 

10.  Almost  any  man if  he  really  tries. 

11.  The  elephant  is  a favourite with  children  be- 

cause of and  shape. 

12.  The who a club  and a uni- 

form was  a policeman. 

13  a hot  day  nothing thirst  so  well  as 

a of water. 

14  is  more  than  merely a flag  and  cheer- 

ing when  the  soldiers home. 

15.  Anything is  not doing is 

hardly  worth at  all. 

16.  One not money  to worthy 

charity. 

17 learning  a new  operation  it  is  sometimes 

not  to all  than  to 

practise  the way  of it. 

18.  Those  things no  fear 

sometimes harmful. 

19  drink one  is is  a 

pleasure. 

20  one their  presence not, 

does a rule, 

one’s  guests. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


229 


Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  score  in  this  test  is  the  number  of  sentences  completed 
perfectly  within  the  time  limit.  No  credit  should  be  given  for 
any  sentences  in  which  the  language  is  not  smooth  and  mean- 
ingful, although  errors  in  spelling  should  not  be  counted  against 
the  person  tested.  This  test  is  intended  to  measure  ability  to 
complete  sentences  rather  than  ability  to  spell  words.  No 
credit  should  be  allowed  unless  every  blank  in  a sentence  has 
been  properly  filled.  One  error  in  any  one  of  the  blanks  will 
leave  the  sentence  imperfectly  done  and  therefore  without 
credit. 

The  stencil  for  scoring  this  test  is  less  convenient  than  those 
furnished  with  the  majority  of  the  Mentimeter  tests.  The  rea- 
son for  this  is  the  very  great  possibility  of  new  variations  ap- 
pearing, even  after  long  experience  in  scoring  the  test.  When 
more  than  one  blank  appears  in  a single  sentence  the  question 
as  to  whether  or  not  a certain  word  is  proper  for  one  of  the  later 
blanks  depends  entirely  upon  what  choice  was  made  in  the  first 
blank.  It  should  be  held  in  mind  by  those  who  score  this  test 
that  the  stencil  does  not  give  all  of  the  possibilities,  but  only 
suggests  the  type  of  completion  which  should  be  considered 
correct.  Anything  that  is  as  good  as  the  completions  appear- 
ing in  the  stencil  should  be  given  full  credit,  while  anything 
which  is  not  as  perfect  should  be  considered  incorrect. 

The  final  score  obtained  by  counting  the  number  of  sentences 
perfectly  completed  should  be  entered  in  the  lower  right-hand 
comer  of  the  title  page  of  the  booklet. 


Scores  from 


i6  it 


0 to  5 indicate 
6 “ 9 
10  “ 16 
17  “ 18 
19  “ 20 


Inferior  Ability 
Low  Average  Ability 
Average  Ability 
High  Average  Ability 
Superior  Ability 


230 


MEASUEE  YOUR  MIND 


Mentimeter  No.  24 

ANALOGIES  OR  MIXED-RELATIONS  TEST 
Character  of  the  Test, 

The  Analogies  test  lends  itself  easily  to  wholesale  or  group 
administration.  It  cannot  be  used  with  illiterate  candidates 
but  requires  at  least  three  years  of  educational  background  in 
order  to  give  a satisfactory  index  of  mental  capacity.  The  test 
blank  presents  the  tasks  to  be  done  in  a manner  so  easily  under- 
stood that  little  explanation  needs  to  be  given  orally  by  the 
examiner.  It  is  also  simple  in  its  method  of  scoring  and  yields 
a very  reliable  measure  of  an  individual’s  clearness  of  thought 
about  the  relations  of  words  and  the  things  for  which  the  words 
stand. 

Psychologists  have  used  various  forms  of  this  test  for  many 
years  and  have  found  it  unusually  accurate  and  reliable.  It  is 
considered  particularly  valuable  as  a test  of  ability  to  adapt 
one’s  self  quickly  and  accurately  to  new  situations,  which  is  un- 
doubtedly one  of  the  most  important  elements  in  what  is  called 
“ general  intelligence.  ’ ’ 

The  method  of  the  Analogies  test  is  known  as  the  “controlled- 
association  method.”  Two  words  are  presented  having  a very 
definite  relation  to  each  other.  A third  word  is  then  presented, 
followed  by  a blank  space  upon  which  the  candidate  is  to  write 
a fourth  word  which  will  have  the  same  relation  to  the  third  word 
as  the  second  word  has  to  the  first.  The  relation  between  the 
first  two  or  key  words  in  each  element  of  the  test  differs  from 
the  relation  between  the  key  words  of  the  previous  element, 
resulting  in  a constant  change  in  the  problem  to  be  solved,  which 
requires  quick  readjustments  in  the  candidate’s  thought  proc- 
esses. The  candidate  must  be  intellectually  alert  to  discover 
the  true  relation  between  the  key  words,  his  mind  must  be  well 
supplied  by  experience  with  words  and  ideas  associated  with  the 
third  word,  and  then  he  must  use  good  judgment  and  discrimina- 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


231 


lion  in  the  selection  of  that  word  which  has  the  proper  relation  to 
the  third  word.  A slip  at  any  of  these  points  will  mean  failure. 
The  value  of  the  present  series  as  a test  of  intelligence  is  greatly 
increased  by  the  fact  that  there  is  a progressive  increase  in  the 
difficulty  of  the  elements  presented,  so  that  the  number  of  ele- 
ments correctly  supplied  has  a very  definite  relation  to  the 
difficulty  of  the  tasks  the  candidate  can  do. 

Because  of  its  relation  to  intelligence,  the  Analogies  test  will 
be  found  very  useful  in  the  classification  of  candidates  for  clerical 
and  administrative  positions  in  industry.  Any  group  of  tests 
selected  for  classifying  such  employees  should  contain  a list  of 
graded  analogies  such  as  that  here  supplied.  Unless  a candi- 
date makes  a record  of  at  least  fifteen  correct  responses  out  of  a 
possible  thirty  in  the  three  minutes’  time  allowed  in  the  test, 
he  should  be  studied  very  carefully  before  being  entrusted  with 
a task  where  ideas  and  symbols  must  be  handled  quickly.  Such 
a man  might  be  able  to  work  with  things  and  people,  but  he 
will  probably  be  found  slow  in  his  grasp  of  abstract  principles 
and  ideas. 

In  the  schoolroom,  the  Analogies  test  may  be  used  with  some 
confidence  in  classifying  pupils  for  instruction.  If  it  is  found 
that  a pupil  is  far  below  his  grade  in  ability  in  this  test,  and  if  he 
is  also  found  below  his  grade  in  the  Completion  of  Sentences  and 
Number  series,  it  may  be  assumed  that  the  pupil  will  probably 
not  succeed  in  the  abstract  work  of  the  school.  Such  pupils 
should  be  sent  to  the  clinical  psychologist  for  special  study,  and 
a special  type  of  training  should  be  prescribed  upon  the  basis 
of  the  psychologist’s  diagnosis.  In  the  same  manner,  pupils 
unusually  brilliant  in  the  handling  of  abstractions  may  be 
located  through  the  use  of  this  and  other  tests  of  this 
nature. 

The  Analogies  test  is  also  a very  entertaining  type  of  parlour 
amusement,  especially  when  some  of  the  absurd  answers  are 
read  aloud  for  the  amusement  of  the  group.  When  it  is  so  used, 
however,  no  suggestion  should  be  made  of  the  relation  between 


232 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


ability  in  this  test  and  general  intellectual  quickness,  lest  some- 
one should  take  offence.  If  the  test  is  given  without  the  exact 
and  formal  directions,  and  if  the  spirit  of  fun  is  introduced  by 
the  examiner,  certain  clever  persons  are  quite  certain  to  write 
words  which  have  very  amusing  associations  with  the  words 
which  serve  to  set  the  problems  in  the  various  lines. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

All  candidates  should  be  furnished  with  pencils  and  writing 
surfaces — either  tables,  chair-arms,  or  writing  boards.  One 
test  booklet  should  be  supplied  to  each  candidate,  the  blank 
being  presented  unopened  and  with  the  title  page  up.  The 
examiner  should  announce  clearly  as  the  papers  are  distributed 
that,  “The  booklets  are  not  to  be  turned  over  or  opened  up  until 
the  signal  is  given  to  do  so.”  Candidates  should  also  be  directed 
to  sign  their  names,  ages,  group  numbers,  and  locations  on  the 
blank  spaces  provided  on  the  cover  of  the  booklet  for  this  in- 
formation. When  each  candidate  has  properly  filled  out  the 
information  blanks  on  the  outside  of  the  test  booklet  the  exam- 
iner should  speak  as  follows: 

“This  test  is  to  find  out  how  carefully  and  how  rapidly  you 
can  think  about  the  relations  of  words  and  of  the  things  for 
which  these  words  stand.  Now  look  at  your  papers  and  read 
silently  the  directions,  while  I read  them  aloud. 

“ When  you  are  told  to  open  your  booklets,  you  will  find  on  the 
inside  thirty  lines  of  words — three  words  and  a blank  space  be- 
ing printed  on  each  line.  In  each  of  these  lines,  the  first  two 
words  are  related  to  each  other  in  a certain  way  which  you  are 
to  study  out.  You  are  then  to  write,  in  the  blank  space  at  the 
end,  a fourth  word  which  has  the  same  relation  to  the  third 
word  as  the  second  word  has  to  the  first. 

“Look,  for  example,  at  the  first  sample,  in  which  the  second 
word  is  the  plural  of  the  first.  Boxes  means  more  than  one 
Box,  so  the  fourth  word  should  be  Cats,  meaning  more  than 
one  Cat. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  233 

Write  a fourth  word  which  fits  the  third  in  the  same 
way  the  second  word  fits  the  first. 

1st  Sample:  BOX  . . Boxes  . . CAT  

2nd  Sample:  DOWN  . Up  . . IN 

3rd  Sample:  EYES  . . See  . . EARS 

‘Tn  the  second  sample,  the  fourth  word  should  be  Out,  be- 
cause Up  is  the  opposite  of  Down,  and  Out  is  the  opposite  of  In. 

‘Tn  the  third  sample,  the  fourth  word  should  be  Hear,  for 
See  tells  what  Eyes  are  used  for,  and  Hear  tells  for  what  Ears  are 
used. 

“You  will  have  three  minutes  in  which  to  write  the  fourth 
word  in  the  thirty  lines  on  the  next  pages.  Work  as  rapidly 
as  you  can  without  making  mistakes.  Be  sure  to  stop  as  soon 
as  I call  ‘Time  up.’  Now  turn  your  papers  and  begin.” 

Allow  exactly  three  minutes  (180  seconds)  after  saying  “Be- 
gin,” and  then  say  “ Stop ! Time  up ! Turn  your  papers  over.” 
All  papers  should  be  collected  at  once  to  avoid  corrections 
with  resulting  unfairness. 


234 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Write  a fourth  word  which  fits  the  third  in  the  same 
way  the  second  word  fits  the  hrst. 


FIRST 

SECOND 

THIRD 

FOURTH 

1.  CAR  . . 

Cars  . 

DOG  . . . 

1 

2.  FRONT  . 

Back  . 

NEAR  . . 

2 

3.  HAT  . . 

Head  . 

SHOE  . . 

3 

4.  BOY  . . 

Boy’s  . 

CAT  . . . 

4 

5.  ICE  . . 

Cold  . . 

FIRE  . . 

5 

6.  BIRD 

Flies  . 

FISH  . . . 

6 

7.  MEN’S.  . 

Man  . 

HENS’  . . 

7 

8.  BREAD  . 

Eat 

WATER  . . 

8 

9.  ACTOR  . 

Theater 

TEACHER  . 

9 

10.  HE  . . 

Him  . . 

SHE  . . . 

10 

11.  PRIEST  . 

Religion  . 

ATTORNEY. 

11 

12.  CAT  . . 

Kitten 

HORSE  . . 

12 

13.  DO  . . 

Did  . . 

BUY  . . 

13 

14.  SCULPTOR 

Statue 

PAINTER  . 

14 

15.  BOY  . . 

Man  . 

LAMB  . . 

15 

16.  TOP  . . 

Bottom 

CEILING  . 

16 

17.  WATER  . 

Fish  . . 

AIR  . . . 

17 

18.  TRAIN  . 

Engineer  . 

AUTOMOBILE 

18 

19.  STAND  . 

Stood  . 

BE  . . . 

19 

20.  CATTLE  . 

Herd  . . 

FISH  . . . 

20 

21.  WORK 

Day  . . 

SLEEP  . . 

21 

22.  THREW  . 

Thrown 

ROSE  . . 

22 

23.  GOOSE.  . 

Gander 

DUCK  . . 

23 

24.  BANTAM  . 

Fowl  . 

MERINO.  . 

24 

25.  GIRL 

Girls’  . 

WOMAN  . . 

25 

26.  WRONG  . 

Right  . 

STEAL  . . 

26 

27.  FOOT  . . 

Feet 

AVIATRIX  . 

27 

28.  HOUSES  . 

House 

CRITERIA  . 

28 

29.  QUEEN  . 

Queens’ 

JONES  . . 

29 

30.  PESSIMIST 

Optimist  . 

EXOTERIC 

30 

THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


235 


Scoring  the  Test. 

The  Analogies  test  is  scored  according  to  the  number  of  lines 
in  which  the  candidate  has  written  the  proper  fourth  word. 
With  each  package  of  test  blanks  a stencil  is  furnished  by  means 
of  which  any  one  may  score  the  results  very  quickly.  The  sten- 
cil is  to  be  placed  along  the  page  next  to  the  written  column  of 
words,  and  where  the  written  word  on  the  page  corresponds 
to  the  word  or  words  printed  on  the  stencil  at  that  level  the 
written  word  stands  as  correct.  Where  there  is  disagreement  be- 
tween the  written  word  and  the  words  printed  at  that  level  on 
the  stencil,  a diagonal  line  (/)  should  be  drawn  through  the 
number  at  the  end  of  the  written  word  to  indicate  that  an  error 
has  been  made.  Where  no  word  has  been  written  on  the 
blank,  the  number  at  the  end  of  the  blank  may  be  circled  to 
indicate  the  omission. 

The  final  score  should  be  written  in  the  lower  right-hand 
corner  of  the  front  cover  of  the  test  booklet.  This  final  score  is 
found  by  adding  all  the  correct  responses  (the  numbers  not 
crossed  out  or  circled).  Since  there  are  thirty  lines,  the  maxi- 
mum score  possible  is  30. 


Scores  from 


0 to  5 indicate 
6 “ 12 
13  “23 
24  “26 
27  “30 


Inferior  Ability 
Low  Average  Ability 
Average  Ability 
High  Average  Ability 
Superior  Ability 


About  30  per  cent,  of  a group  of  college  graduates  should  be 
expected  to  secure  Superior  ratings,  about  50  per  cent.  High 
Average,  and  the  remainder  only  Average  ratings. 


236 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Mentimeter  No.  25 
HANDWRITING 


Character  of  the  Test. 

Many  pseudo-scientists  have  claimed  the  ability  to  interpret 
character  and  intelligence,  and  the  past  and  the  future,  by 
means  of  an  individual’s  handwriting.  The  present  test  has  no 
relation  to  such  misguided  efforts.  This  test  is  designed  to 
measure  accurately  the  speed  at  which  one  can  write,  and  to 
indicate  the  general  quality  of  the  product  produced  at  that 
speed. 

Large  groups  of  individuals  may  be  examined  at  the  same 
time  by  this  test,  although  it  may  be  used  as  a test  of  an  in- 
dividual  if  necessary.  It  is  quite  certain  that  an  individual  who 
works  at  such  a task  as  that  set  by  this  test  in  the  company  of 
other  people  will  succeed  better  than  if  he  works  at  it  alone. 
The  results  obtained  when  an  individual  is  tested  alone  are  not 
exactly  comparable,  therefore,  to  the  results  which  would  be 
attained  if  he  were  tested  in  a group. 

The  general  quality  of  one’s  handwriting  has  very  little  rela- 
tion to  his  general  intellectual  ability.  Some  of  our  most  in- 
telligent men  write  a hand  which  is  hardly  legible,  and  the 
authors  have  seen  some  beautiful  handwriting  produced  by 
feeble-minded  children.  It  is,  nevertheless,  worth  while  for 
many  employers  to  have  in  their  records  of  the  qualifications  of 
employees  an  exact  record  of  the  speed  and  quality  of  each 
employee’s  handwriting.  This  record  may  never  be  of  any  use, 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  it  may  at  some  time  be  of  very  great 
value  unexpectedly. 

In  the  public  schools,  measurements  of  handwriting  quality 
may  be  crudely  done  with  the  present  Mentimeter  or  more 
accurately  done  with  the  scales  of  Thorndike,  Ayres,  or  Starch. 
It  seems  probable  that  by  the  time  children  have  attained  the 
“Average”  Quality  contained  in  the  Mentimeter  and  are 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


237 


writing  at  “High  Average”  speed  it  would  be  worth  while  for 
the  teacher  to  excuse  them  from  further  drill  as  long  as  they 
maintain  that  standard  in  their  every-day  work.  It  will 
hardly  be  found  necessary  in  practical  life  outside  the  school  to 
write  a better  quality  than  “Average”  except  in  a very  few 
specialized  occupations. 


Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

Candidates  should  be  supplied  with  pen  and  ink  and  seated  at 
a convenient  table  or  desk.  The  test  leaflet  should  then  be 
passed  out  and  explanations  given  of  how  to  All  out  the  blanks 
on  the  title  page.  When  all  of  the  identifying  information  has 
been  entered  on  the  title  page,  the  examiner  should  direct  as 
follows:  “This  test  is  intended  to  discover  how  rapidly  and 

how  well  you  can  write  with  pen  and  ink.  Turn  your  papers 
over  and  notice  at  the  top  of  the  page  the  two  printed  lines: 


“Mary  had  a little  lamb 
Its  fleece  was  white  as  snow. 


“ When  you  are  told  to  begin  you  are  to  copy  these  two  lines 
over  and  over  again  just  as  many  times  as  you  possibly  can  be- 
fore I call  ‘Stop.’  Try  to  use  your  very  best  handwriting 
every  time  you  copy.  I shall  allow  you  two  minutes  in  which  to 
write.  As  soon  as  I say  ‘Stop,’  I want  you  to  hold  your  pen  up 
so  that  I can  see  you  have  obeyed  the  command.  Remember 
that  when  I say  ‘Write,’  you  are  to  copy  the  two  lines  over  and 
over  again  as  rapidly  and  as  well  as  you  can.  Ready,  Write.” 
Exactly  two  minutes  (120  seconds)  after  saying  “Write”  the 
examiner  should  call  “Stop!  Hold  up  your  pens!  Now  lay 
them  down  on  the  table.  Blot  your  paper  and  hand  it  to 
me.”  All  papers  should  be  collected  at  once  to  avoid  unfair 
work. 


238 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

Each  handwriting  leaflet  is  to  receive  two  scores,  one  for 
quality  of  handwriting  and  one  for  speed.  The  score  in  speed 
should  be  obtained  by  counting  the  number  of  letters  written 
and  dividing  the  result  by  two,  this  will  be  simplified  somewhat 
by  remembering  that  the  sentence,  “Mary  had  a little  lamb’^ 
contains  18  letters  and  that  the  sentence,  “Its  fleece  was 
white  as  snow”  contains  23  letters,  which  makes  41  letters  for 
each  time  the  two  sentences  are  repeated.  The  score  in  speed 
thus  obtained  by  taking  half  of  the  total  number  of  letters 
written  should  be  entered  on  the  proper  blank  at  the  lower  right- 
hand  corner  of  the  title  page. 

Speed  score  from  0 to  30  indicates  Inferior  Ability 

31  “ 50  “ Low  Average  Ability 

51  “ 75  “ Average  Ability 

“ “ “ 76  “ 90  “ High  Average  Ability 

“ “ “ 91  and  upward  indicates  Superior  Ability 

The  score  in  quality  of  handwriting  is  to  be  determined  by 
comparing  the  candidate’s  handwriting  with  samples  on  the 
Mentimeter  for  Handwriting  Quality:*  a grade  of  “A,”  in- 
dicating superior  quality,  should  be  assigned  if  the  candidate’s 
handwriting  is  as  smooth,  beautiful  and  legible  as  the  sample 
marked  “A,”  or  if  the  quality  more  nearly  approaches  the 
quality  of  sample  “A”  than  the  quality  of  sample  “B.”  The 
sample  should  be  given  a rating  as  quality  “C”  if  its  general 
beauty  and  quality  be  nearer  to  the  printed  sample  “C  ” than  to 
printed  samples  “B”  or  “D.”  Give  to  any  sample  that 
grade  which  indicates  the  printed  quality  that  most 
nearly  equals  it  in  beauty,  legibility,  and  general  merit. 

In  making  a record  of  any  candidate’s  performance  in  the 
handwriting  test  both  quality  and  speed  should  be  recorded. 

*The  samples  in  the  Mentimeter  are  selected  from  the  Thorndike  list  and  have  the  following 
values  on  the  Thorndike  Scale  E,  “Inferior”  equals  8.0;  D,  “Ix)w  Average”  equals  10.5;  C, 
“Average”  equals  12.2;  B,  “High  Average”  equals  13.4;  A,  “Superior”  equals  10. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


239 


Mentimeter  for  Handwriting  Quality 


ytnAjJhlA^  ^ OaHjC^  /idU'  A>a/tA^CU^  yO'7^ 
/2£<)^(:^^d^dviAw  xJ^  aaaCju^' 

yjA^cL^iyiiAA^- 


c 


/ilw^oajJbuyA£<^^c^^ 

‘ Piyyitir'  OdoA/U/riyi. 


^OCu\yuyCU^ . 


Cyyyi/P^  ■'  0~t-‘0t/  yCZy  CQ/OA'l^Ci/^^ 


/c.-ax2.xi^<a^.^  (^A^^ypC 


/^AA^a/yU 

^ <XAAA^(X^^^  ^ (ylAVUipO^^ 

“C-71”  would  mean  'that  in  the  Mentimeter  test  this  in- 
dividual had  written  quality  “C”  at  a speed  of  71  letters  per 
minute.  The  speed  and  quality  together  are  necessary  in  order 
to  know  the  entire  truth  about  one’s  handwriting,  for  many 
people  produce  a beautiful  handwriting  by  taking  great  pains 
and  wasting  much  time. 


240  MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 

Mentimeter  No.  26 
ENGLISH  COMPOSITION 

Character  of  the  Test. 

Only  persons  who  have  had  the  benefit  of  a fairly  complete 
elementary  school  education  will  succeed  very  emphatically  in 
this  test  of  ability  to  write  a composition  in  the  English  language. 
The  test  may  be  given  to  large  numbers  of  people  at  the  same 
time  just  as  readily  as  to  a single  individual.  The  result  of  the 
test  is,  however,  a very  good  index  of  the  general  intellectual 
capacity  of  the  individual,  unless  he  is  handicapped  by  lack  of 
familiarity  with  the  language. 

The  most  common  use  which  most  of  us  have  for  ability  at 
composing  in  English  is  in  writing  letters  to  our  friends  or  to 
those  with  whom  our  business  brings  us  into  contact.  For  this 
reason,  the  test  consists  in  the  statement  of  a condition  under 
which  any  one  of  us  might  find  ourselves  and  in  asking  the 
candidates  to  write  an  appropriate  letter.  The  result  is  graded 
into  one  of  five  groups,  according  to  its  general  quality. 

The  problem  presented  to  the  candidate  is  fairly  complex. 
First  of  all,  he  must  be  able  to  understand  the  situation  described 
by  the  examiner  and  to  appreciate  what  type  of  letter  would  be 
most  appropriate  under  these  circumstances.  He  must  also  be 
able  to  write  the  words  which  would  express  his  feelings  in  the  de- 
scribed situation,  and  in  order  to  make  his  feelings  clearly  under- 
stood he  should  be  able  to  punctuate  and  organize  his  sentences 
effectively.  The  result  is  a useful  index  of  the  general  efficiency 
and  maturity  of  any  candidate  who  has  been  taught  to  write  in 
English. 

In  industrial  life  there  are  many  types  of  positions  for  which 
persons  whose  ability  to  compose  written  English  need  not 
be  better  than  “Inferior,”  although  there  are  other  positions 
which  would  require  “High  Average”  quality  of  English  com- 
position. The  advantage  of  the  following  Mentimeter  lies  in 
the  possibility  it  gives  of  identifying  more  exactly  just  what 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  241 

quality  is  meant  when  one  speaks  of  “High  Average”  composing 
ability. 

In  the  public  schools  the  Mentimeter  will  serve  as  a crude 
basis  for  classifying  the  general  quality  of  the  compositions 
written,  but  for  highly  scientific  work  it  would  be  desirable  to 
secure  some  form  of  the  “Hillegas  Scale”  which  is  much  more 
exact  and  well  standardized.  A very  entertaining  evening  could 
be  enjoyed  by  giving  this  test  to  a group  of  people  gathered  to- 
gether for  social  purposes,  especially  with  a group  which  had 
tired  of  the  ordinary  means  of  entertainment.  Reading  the 
products  written  should  in  such  a case  be  entrusted  to  some  one 
or  two  individuals  of  good  reading  ability  and  wise  judgment. 
Frequently  the  results  would  contain  very  amusing  paragraphs. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

Each  candidate  should  be  comfortably  seated  and  provided 
with  writing  material  before  any  instructions  are  given.  It 
will  usually  be  well  to  furnish  paper  on  which  there  are  lines, 
as  many  people  find  the  lack  of  ruling  a distinct  hindrance  to  the 
flow  of  their  thoughts.  When  everyone  is  ready,  the  examiner 
should  direct  that  each  individual  write  his  or  her  name,  age, 
address,  and  any  other  information  which  seems  desirable.  The 
following  directions  should  then  be  given : 

“This  test  is  planned  to  discover  how  well  you  can  use  the 
English  language  in  expressing  your  thoughts  and  feelings. 
Imagine  yourself  employed  in  a large  business  house  in  the  city. 
While  you  are  waiting  to  find  out  whether  or  not  you  are  going 
to  be  one  of  those  fortunate  people  who  will  be  granted  a vaca- 
tion, imagine  that  you  receive  a letter  from  a friend  in  the 
country  asking  you  to  spend  your  vacation  on  the  farm.  Since 
you  do  not  know  that  you  will  have  a vacation,  it  is  impossible 
for  you  to  accept  the  invitation  at  once,  but  it  is  necessary  for 
you  to  acknowledge  the  fact  that  you  have  received  the  invita- 
tion. Write  a letter  to  this  friend  in  the  country  saying  that  the 
invitation  has  been  received  and  that  you  appreciate  it.  You 


242 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


need  not  make  the  letter  long,  but  write  it  just  as  well  as  you 
can.’’  At  least  twenty  minutes  should  be  allowed  for  the  writing 
of  this  letter.  At  the  end  of  twenty  minutes  all  papers  should  be 
collected,  whether  the  letters  are  complete  or  not — enough  will 
have  been  written  to  demonstrate  the  quality  of  letter  each  can 
write. 


MENTIMETER  FOR  QUALITY  OF  ENGLISH  COMPOSITIONS 

Quality:  Superior,  A. 

My  Dear  Jean: — 

Your  letter  made  me  peculiarly  happy  this  morning.  The 
joys  of  last  Summer  so  wrapt  themselves  about  me  that,  instead 
of  hurrying  down  Broadway  to  business,  I was  sitting  on  the 
veranda  with  you  and  little  Bobby  at  sunset  watching  the  Hud- 
son creep  slowly  in  and  out  among  the  hills.  One  by  one  the 
little  villages  dropt  out  of  sight  as  the  fog  came  down  from  the 
Catskills,  crept  across  the  river,  up  through  the  woods  and  finally 
nestled  among  the  neighbour’s  fir  trees.  Black  crows  cawed  as 
they  flew  lazily  over  the  house,  and  the  little  birds  came  up 
close  to  the  edge  of  the  woods  to  sleep  in  the  barberry  bushes. 
Bobby  said  they  came  up  close  so  we  would  hear  if  anything  got 
them.  The  little  dear!  Tell  him  I have  saved  a number  of 
stories  for  him — two  new  ones  about  light-houses. 

I am  rather  doubtful  as  to  whether  I will  be  granted  a vaca- 
tion this  year.  Business  conditions  are  so  far  from  normal,  and 
we  are  very  short  of  help.  However,  I may  be  lucky,  and  if  I am 
nothing  would  make  me  so  happy  as  to  spend  every  day  of  it 
with  you  and  little  Bobby.  I expect  to  know  definitely  by  the 
end  of  next  week  concerning  my  vacation  and  shall  write  to  you 
immediately. 

I thank  you  more  than  I can  say,  Jean.  Your  invitation  has 
made  me  very  happy. 


Sincerely, 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


243 


Quality:  High  Average,  B. 

My  Dear  Mr.  Smith: 

I appreciate  your  invitation  expressing  the  desire  to  enter- 
tain me  again  at  your  farm  during  my  Summer  vacation.  I 
should  enjoy  coming  back  this  Summer,  although  I have  occa- 
sionally been  afraid  that  I was  something  of  a hindrance  to  your 
work.  It  is  such  a change  for  me  to  get  to  the  country  that  I 
shall  certainly  come  if  possible. 

I shall  let  you  know  just  as  soon  as  I find  out  whether  or  not  I 
am  to  have  a vacation  this  Summer.  Thanking  you  for  your 
kind  invitation,  I remain, 

Sincerely  yours, 

Quality:  Average,  C, 

My  Dear  Friend: 

Your  letter  of  June  10th  has  been  received,  and  in  reply  I 
would  say  that  I am  not  sure  that  I will  get  my  vacation  this 
summer.  The  boss  hasn’t  said  anything  about  vacations  yet. 
X would  like  to  come  just  as  much  as  you  would  like  to  have  me, 
but  I can’t  promise  until  the  old  man  lets  us  know.  I’ll  write 
to  you  just  as  soon  as  I learn  what  to  expect.  Thanks  for  your 
invitation. 

Yours, 

Quality:  Low  Average,  D. 

Dear  Friend 

I got  your  letter  alright,  but  it  don’t  look  like  I was  going  to 
get  any  vacation  this  summer.  We  have  all  been  tryin  to  hint 
to  the  boss  about  how  tired  we  all  was  but  he  has  to  be  knocked 
down  to  take  a hint  I guess. 

I sure  do  hope  he  lets  me  off.  You  know  how  I’d  like  to  come 
and  I want  you  to  keep  plenty  of  green  truck  growin  in  the 
gardin  for  me  to  eat. 


Yours  truly 


244  MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 

Quality:  Inferior,  E. 

Der  Frend 

id  lik  to  cum  out  to  yer  farm  ef  the  flise  ant  tou  bad  but  i got  to 
wate  the  boss  hant  told  us  we  can  tak  ar  vakashins  yit  hous  the 
frut  & burys  this  yere  il  cum  ef  i can 

Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

Each  composition  should  be  compared  with  the  five  contained 
on  the  Mentimeter  for  English  Composition  quality.  Give  the 
written  composition  a mark  as  “Average,”  “Superior,”  or  “Low 
Average”  according  to  its  quality.  If  a composition  seems  to  be 
better  than  the  one  on  the  Mentimeter  which  is  called  “Aver- 
age” but  poorer  than  the  one  called  “High  Average,”  try  to  de- 
cide which  it  is  nearer  in  general  quality.  “Average,  ” therefore, 
will  mean  that  a composition  is  nearer  in  its  quality  to  the  sample 
printed  as  “Average”  than  it  is  to  the  sample  printed  as  “High 
Average,”  or  to  the  sample  printed  as  “Low  Average.”  Any 
composition  which  is  distinctly  better  than  “Superior”  should 
be  rated  as  “Superior,”  and  any  composition  which  seems 
poorer  than  the  one  printed  as  “Inferior”  should  be  rated  as 
“Inferior.” 


Mentimeter  No.  27 
POETIC  DISCRIMINATION  TEST 

Character  of  the  Test. 

Differences  in  the  intellectual  abilities  of  people  manifest 
themselves  in  three  fairly  distinct  ways:  first,  in  ability  to  ac- 
complish results;  second,  in  ability  to  think  clearly  about  the 
situations  in  which  they  find  themselves;  and  third,  in  the  feel- 
ings which  these  situations  arouse.  Practically  all  of  the  tests 
now  available  for  measuring  educational  achievements  or  intel- 
lectual ability  are  concerned  primarily  with  the  ability  to  do  or  to 
think  about  situations.  This  member  of  the  Mentimeter  family 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


245 


is  concerned  chiefly  with  the  way  in  which  one  feels  about  differ- 
ent types  and  qualities  of  poetic  expression.  The  test  cannot 
be  given  to  illiterate  or  foreign-language  speaking  persons.  It 
is  planned  as  a group  test  of  persons  who  read  and  under- 
stand English  readily. 

The  test  consists  of  six  short  stanzas  selected  from  recognized 
English  poets.*  Two  false  versions  of  each  stanza  have  been 
prepared  and  appear  on  the  same  page  with  the  original.  The 
group  being  examined  are  asked  to  read  each  version,  trying 
to  think  how  it  would  sound  if  read  aloud,  and  to  choose  the  one 
which  they  like  “best”  and  the  one  which  they  consider  the 
“poorest”  poetry.  The  differences  between  the  false  versions 
and  the  true  in  the  first  set  are  smaller  than  the  differences 
found  in  the  succeeding  ones.  The  score  obtained  by  any  in- 
dividual therefore  depends  upon  how  small  a difference  he  can 
notice. 

Although  this  test  is  very  interesting  and  entertaining  its 
reliability  is  not  determined  and  its  usefulness  is  as  yet  question- 
able. It  certainly  would  have  no  great  value  in  industrial  life 
and  only  small  importance  in  public  school  work;  its  chief  ser- 
vice will  be  entertainment  in  the  home  and  at  social  gatherings. 
It  is  surprising  how  poor  the  judgment  of  many  people  is  regard- 
ing the  quality  of  poetic  products.  It  would  be  interesting  at 
social  affairs  at  which  this  test  is  used  to  make  a tabulation  of 
just  how  many  of  those  present  have  selected  each  different 
version. 


•The  Best  Version  in  each  set  is  selected  from  the  writings  of  recognized  poets: 

Set  I William  Wordsworth  in  “She  Dwelt  Among.” 

Set  II  Agnes  Millay  in  “My  Tavern.” 

Set  III  Percy  Bysshe  Shelley  in  “To ” 

Set  IV  Algernon  Charles  Swinburne  in  “Etude  Realiste.” 

Set  V Edward  Coote  Pinkney  in  “Health.” 

Set  VI  James  Thompson  in  “Sunday  Up  the  River.” 

Mr.  Earl  Hudelson  contributed  the  Middle  and  Poorest  Versions  for  Set  II.  One  of  the  present 
authors  is  responsible  for  the  mutilated  forms  of  the  other  selections.  A much  more  scientific 
and  accurate  instrument  for  measuring  poetic  discrimination  is  being  developed  by  Prof.  Allan 
Abbott  and  one  of  the  present  authors. 


246 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

The  examiner  should  distribute  the  examination  booklets 
and  writing  materials  with  the  following  instruction : 

“Do  not  open  this  booklet  until  I tell  you  to  do  so.  Notice 
on  the  title  page  a number  of  blanks  for  your  name,  your  age, 
and  the  like.  Fill  out  these  blanks  at  once  but  do  not  look  inside 
the  booklet.” 

As  soon  as  the  blanks  on  the  title  page  have  been  filled  the 
examiner  should  ask  the  candidates  to  read  carefully  the  direc- 
tions while  he  reads  them  aloud. 

“When  you  open  your  book  you  will  find  six  different  sets 
of  poetic  stanzas.  Each  set  appears  in  three  different  versions. 
You  are  to  read  each  version  carefully,  trying  to  think  how  it 
would  sound  if  read  aloud,  and  then  to  record  on  the  blank  space 
provided  for  it  which  version  you  think  is  ‘best,’  which  ver- 
sion you  think  is  ‘poorest’  and  which  version  you  think  is 
of  ‘middle’  value.  If  you  decide  that  version  Y is  best  then 
write  ‘Y’  after  the  word  Best.  If  Z is  the  worst,  then  write 
‘Z*  after  the  word  Poorest,  and  ‘X’  after  the  word  Middle. 

“Think  carefully  about  each  set  and  choose  the  one  which 
you  really  think  is  the  best  poetry.  You  will  be  allowed  fifteen 
minutes  in  which  to  read  and  decide  about  the  six  sets.  Begin 
with  set  No.  1 and  take  them  in  order.  Ready!  Open  your 
papers  and  begin  work.” 

Exactly  fifteen  minutes  after  saying  “Begin”  the  examiner 
should  call,  “Stop!  The  time  is  up.  Let  me  have  your  papers.” 
All  papers  should  be  taken  up  at  once. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


247 


SET  I 

Read  each  version  carefully  and  try  to  think  how  it 
would  sound  if  it  were  read  aloud. 

Which  version  is  the  poorest  poetry,  and  which  is  the 
best  poetry? 

Best  

Middle 

Poorest  


Version  X 

Once  there  was  a violet. 
Growing  near  a stone; 
It  reminded  me  of  a star 
All  alone  in  the  sky. 

Version  Y 

A violet  grew  by  a mossy  stone, 
Where  it  was  hard  to  see; 

It  looked  like  a star,  for  it  shone 
As  pretty  as  could  be. 

Version  Z 

A violet  by  a mossy  stone 
Half  hidden  from  the  eye ! 

— Fair  as  a star,  when  only  one 
Is  shining  in  the  sky. 

248 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


SET  II 

Read  each  version  carefully  and  try  to  think  how  it 
would  sound  if  it  were  read  aloud. 

Which  version  is  the  poorest  poetry,  and  which  is  the 
best  poetry? 

I’ll  keep  a little  tavern  Best  

Below  the  high  hill’s  crest.  Middle 

Wherein  all  gray-eyed  people  Poorest 

May  set  them  down  and  rest. 

Version  X There  shall  be  plates  a-plenty. 

And  mugs  to  melt  the  chill 
Of  all  the  gray-eyed  people 
Who  happen  up  the  hill. 

Ay,  ’tis  a curious  fancy — 

But  all  the  good  I know 
Was  taught  me  out  of  two  gray  eyes 
A long  time  ago. 

Version  Y There  shall  be  dishes  a-plenty. 

And  something  to  take  off  the  chill 
Of  as  many  gray-eyed  people 
As  are  willing  to  climb  the  hill. 

’Tis  truly  an  odd  fancy. 

But  everything  good  that  I know 
I learned  out  of  two  gray  eyes 
Many  years  ago. 

Version  Z And  when  those  gray-eyed  people 
Have  entered  in  the  gate. 

We’ll  pass  the  cheering  mug  around. 

And  also  pass  the  plate. 

It  may  sound  rather  funny. 

But  I was  helped  a lot 
By  someone  who  had  gray  eyes 
When  I was  a little  tot. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


249 


SET  III 

Read  each  version  carefully  and  try  to  think  how  it 
would  sound  if  it  were  read  aloud. 

Which  version  is  the  poorest  poetry,  and  which  is  the 
best  poetry? 


Best 

Middle 

Poorest 


Version  X 

Music,  when  faint  voices  cease. 
Continues  in  the  memory — 
Odours,  when  the  violets  fade. 

Linger  where  their  smell  was  made. 


Version  Y 

Music  lives  in  the  memory. 

Though  the  songster’s  voice  is  done. 

Sweet  odours  haunt  the  nose. 

Though  the  violets  that  waked  them  are  gone. 


Version  Z 

Music,  when  soft  voices  die. 

Vibrates  in  the  memory — 

Odours,  when  sweet  violets  sicken, 
Live  within  the  sense  they  quicken. 


250 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


SET  IV 

Read  each  version  carefully  and  try  to  think  how  it 
would  sound  if  it  were  read  aloud. 

Which  version  is  the  poorest  poetry,  and  which  is  the 
best  poetry? 


Best 

Middle 

Poorest 


Version  X 

No  rosebud  yet  has  e’er  been  seen. 

Or  flower  in  tropic  lands, 

To  equal  these,  more  beauteous  e*en — 
A baby’s  hands. 

Version  Y 

No  rosebuds  yet  by  dawn  impearled 
Match,  even  in  loveliest  lands. 

The  sweetest  flowers  in  all  the  world — 
A baby’s  hands. 

Version  Z 

No  flower  that  grows. 

In  this  or  any  other  lands. 

Compares  with  these,  of  daintiest  rose — 
A baby’s  hands. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


251 


SET  V 

Read  each  version  carefully  and  try  to  think  how  it 
would  sound  if  it  were  read  aloud. 

Which  version  is  the  poorest  poetry,  and  which  is  the 
best  poetry? 


Best  . . 
Middle 
Poorest 


Version  X 

She  speaks  in  tones  of  silver 

With  the  voice  of  morning  birds. 

And  every  word  that’s  spoken  of  her 
Echoes  the  music  of  her  words. 

Version  Y 

Her  every  tone  is  music’s  own. 

Like  those  of  morning  birds. 

And  something  more  than  melody 
Dwells  ever  in  her  words. 

Version  Z 

Her  tones  are  pure  as  silver  chimes. 
Her  notes  of  birdlike  beauty; 

The  words  she  speaks  are  at  all  times 
Replete  with  life  and  beauty. 


252 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


SET  VI 

Read  each  version  carefully  and  try  to  think  how  it 
would  sound  if  it  were  read  aloud. 

Which  version  is  the  poorest  poetry,  and  which  is  the 
best  poetry? 

Best 

Middle 

Poorest 


Version 

A pipe  and  a book, 

By  the  side  of  the  brook, 

With  the  world  and  her  troubles  forgot; 

Just  to  read  and  to  smoke, 

Man  forgets  that  he’s  broke, — 

And  he  finds,  after  all,  that  he’s  not. 

Version  Y 

Give  a man  a pipe  he  can  smoke. 

Give  a man  a book  he  can  read; 

And  his  home  is  bright  with  a calm  delight. 
Though  the  room  be  poor  indeed. 

Version  Z 

Let  a man  smoke. 

And  let  a man  read; 

A pipe  and  a book  in  any  old  nook. 
Lend  peace  which  is  wealth  indeed. 

THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


253 


Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  score  in  this  test  is  determined  in  a somewhat  more  com- 
plicated manner  than  is  the  case  of  any  other  of  the  Mentimeter 
series.  Two  points  are  allowed  each  candidate  for  selecting 
as  “Best”  the  original  version  in  any  set  and  one  point  of  credit 
is  allowed  for  selecting  the  poorest  version  as  “Poorest.”  It 
will  be  observed  that  the  maximum  score  on  any  set  will  be  three 
points  if  the  candidate  arranges  the  versions  in  the  correct  order, 
two  points  for  selecting  the  best  and  one  point  for  selecting  the 
worst.  This  makes  the  total  maximum  score,  for  six  sets,  eigh- 
teen points. 

The  correct  order  of  merit  for  each  set  of  selections  has  been 
determined  by  the  judgment  of  approximately  one  hundred 
competent  judges.  It  is  as  follows: 


SET  I II  III  IV  V VI 

Best Z X Z Y Y Y 

Middle  Y Y X X Z Z 

Poorest X Z Y Z X X 


Write  the  final  score  obtained  on  the  total  of  the  six  sets  in 
the  lower  right-hand  corner  of  the  title  page  of  the  examination 
booklet. 


Scores 

<( 


(« 


0 to  3 indicate 
4 “ 7 
8 “ 11 
12  “ 14 
15  “ 18 


Very  Inferior  Ability 
Inferior  Ability 
Average  Ability 
Superior  Ability 
Very  Superior  Ability 


254 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Mentimeter  No.  28 
ARITHMETIC  REASONING 
Character  of  the  Test. 

Teachers  in  schools  have  for  a long  while  based  a large  part 
of  their  judgment  about  any  individual’s  intellectual  ability 
almost  exclusively  upon  the  facility  with  which  he  solved  arith- 
metic problems.  Although  the  ability  to  solve  arithmetic  prob- 
lems has  not  been  so  frequently  recognized  by  investigators  as  an 
index  of  intellectual  ability  as  has  ability  in  English,  the  teachers 
have  found  it  much  easier  to  estimate  intellectual  ability  upon 
the  basis  of  showing  in  arithmetic,  because  it  is  easier  to  judge 
of  success  in  arithmetic  than  to  judge  of  success  in  English 
or  other  fields.  A child  can  either  solve  the  problem  or  else  he 
cannot.  This  objective  nature  of  the  subject  of  arithmetic  has 
made  it  a very  important  subject  for  the  teacher  in  deciding  upon 
promotions. 

In  practical  life,  arithmetic  has  been  recognized  as  being  of 
value  because  the  training  in  arithmetic  was  supposed  to  enable 
a student  to  keep  other  people  from  cheating  him  in  financial 
transactions.  The  writers  have  known  employers,  on  a small 
scale,  who  used  certain  tricky  arithmetic  problems  as  the  basis 
upon  which  to  judge  the  intellectual  ability  of  prospective  em- 
ployees. Arithmetic  problems  have  had  and  will  continue 
to  have  a distinctive  place  in  the  measurement  of  intellectual 
capacity.  It  is  probable  that  this  place  is  well  deserved. 


Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

As  soon  as  the  candidates  are  seated,  they  should  be  supplied 
with  pencils,  and  the  examination  leaflet  should  be  distributed 
with  the  instruction  that  it  is  not  to  be  turned  over  until  special 
instructions  are  given  to  that  effect.  In  order  to  keep  the 
candidates  busy,  the  examiner  should  ask  them  to  fill  out  the 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


255 


blanks  on  the  title  page,  giving  name,  age,  etc.  When  this 
information  has  been  obtained,  the  examiner  should  ask  the 
candidates  to  read  the  directions  silently  while  he  reads  them 
aloud. 

“On  the  other  side  of  your  papers  you  will  find  fourteen 
problems  in  arithmetic.  The  first  problems  are  simple  and  easy 
and  the  last  ones  are  more  difficult.  Begin  with  the  first  prob- 
lem and  solve  as  many  as  you  can  in  the  four  minutes  after  I 
say  ‘Go !’  Write  your  answer  at  the  right-hand  side  of  the  ques- 
tions on  the  dotted  lines  provided  for  the  answers.  You  may 
figure  on  the  left-hand  side  or  on  the  back  of  the  blank,  if  you 
wish.  Solve  as  many  problems  as  you  can  but  be  sure  to  get  the 
answer  right.  Ready!  Go!” 

Allowing  exactly  four  minutes  after  saying  the  world  “Go!” 
the  examiner  should  call  “Stop!  Turn  your  papers  over.  Give 
them  to  me.”  All  papers  should  be  collected  immediately. 


Write  the  answers  to  these  problems  on  the  blanks 
Use  the  other  side  of  the  sheet  to  figure  on 

ANSWERS 

1.  How  many  are  5 men  and  3 men?  

2.  If  you  earn  2 dollars  each  day,  how  much  do  you 

earn  in  6 days?  

3.  If  you  have  10  nickels  and  lose  3 of  them,  how 

many  would  you’  have  after  you  found  2 of 
those  that  were  lost?  

4.  How  many  benches  will  be  needed  in  order  to  seat 

20  people  at  a picnic,  if  4 people  sit  on  each 
bench?  

5.  If  James  sold  3 Sunday  papers  for  5 cents  each 

and  then  bought  an  apple  for  3 cents  and  an 
orange  for  4 cents,  how  much  money  had  he 
left? 


(over) 


256 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


ANSWERS 

G.  How  much  change  should  you  get  from  a dollar 
bill  after  buying  39  cents’  worth  of  potatoes,  12 
cents’  worth  of  celery,  and  26  cents’  worth  of 
butter?  

7.  If  the  price  of  lemons  is  2 for  5 cents,  how  many 

can  you  buy  for  40  cents?  

8.  If  29  merchants  each  bought  34  quarts  of  canned 

peas  at  a wholesale  house  which  had  previously 
sold  2,387  quarts  of  the  same  brand,  what  was 
the  total  number  of  quarts  of  this  brand 
sold?  

9.  If  a wholesale  merchant  sold  for  $50  sugar  which 

he  had  purchased  for  $45  and  thereby  gained 
1 cent  per  pound,  how  many  pounds  of  sugar 
were  there?  

10.  If  four  and  a half  pounds  of  fancy  onions  cost  27 

cents,  how  much  will  eight  and  a half  pounds 

cost?  

11.  Half  of  the  people  in  a certain  city  block  were 

born  of  American  parents,  one  eighth  have 
American  fathers  and  foreign-born  mothers, 
one  eighth  have  American  mothers  and 
foreign-born  fathers,  and  both  parents  of  the 
rest  are  foreign-born.  Of  the  1,200  people  liv- 
ing in  this  block,  how  many  have  American 
fathers?  

12.  A factory  used  1,288  tons  of  coal  in  23  days. 

During  the  first  ten  days  after  a new  addition 
to  the  factory  was  opened,  the  average  daily 
coal  consumption  was  78  tons.  How  many 
more  tons  were  burned  per  day  than  pre- 
viously?   


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


257 


ANSWERS 

13.  A man  spent  for  cigars  and  tobacco  one  sixteenth 

of  his  wages  for  one  day.  He  spent  five  times 
as  much  for  food,  and  half  of  what  remained 
for  repairs  on  his  watch,  which  left  him  a dol- 
lar and  a half.  How  much  did  he  receive  per 
day?  

14.  At  the  middle  of  the  month  a merchant  had 

$1,200  in  the  bank.  He  deposited  $30  each 
day  for  six  days  and  on  Monday  morning  wrote 
checks  for  two  thirds  as  much  as  his  deposits 
for  the  week.  Tuesday  afternoon  he  de- 
posited a check  one  fourth  as  large  as  his  bal- 
ance in  the  bank.  What  was  his  balance  on 
Tuesday  night?  


Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test 

The  score  in  this  test  is  the  number  of  problems  with  abso- 
lutely correct  answers.  No  credit  should  be  given  for  partially 
correct  answers.  The  total  score  of  the  test  should  be  entered 
on  the  blank  at  the  lower  right-hand  corner  of  the  title  page. 

Scores  from  0 to  3 indicate  Inferior  Ability 
“ “ 4 “ 7 “ Low  Average  Ability 

“ “ 8 “ 10  “ Average  Ability 

“ of  11  and  12  “ High  Average  Ability 

“ “ 13  and  14  “ Superior  Ability 


258  MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 

Mentimeter  No.  29 
PRACTICAL  JUDGMENT  TEST 
Character  of  the  Test. 

This  test  is  applicable  to  all  persons  who  can  read  English  as 
readily  as  the  average  third-grade  public  school  pupil.  For 
persons  of  less  ability  to  read  but  of  good  ability  to  understand 
English,  the  questions  may  be  asked  orally  in  an  individual 
examination.  The  results  obtained  when  the  questions  are 
asked  orally  should  not  be  compared  with  the  results  obtained 
when  the  printed  test  booklets  are  employed  in  a group  ex- 
amination. It  is  very  strongly  recommended  that  the  test  be 
used  primarily  as  a group  test,  according  to  the  instructions 
given  here,  in  order  that  direct  comparisons  may  be  readily 
made  between  the  results  obtained  in  various  places  by  different 
examiners. 

The  present  form  of  the  test  is  a lengthening  of  the  form  used 
in  the  Army  Alpha  series.  Twenty-four  elements  are  con- 
tained in  the  Mentimeter  form,  while  only  sixteen  elements 
were  used  in  the  Army  form.  Another  advantage  of  the 
present  form  over  the  military  edition  is  the  more  definite  at- 
tempt at  arrangement  of  the  elements  in  the  test  according  to 
their  difficulty.  Having  the  series  graduated  in  difficulty, 
from  easy  to  hard,  is  a distinct  advantage,  particularly  with 
young  or  dull  persons,  who  quickly  stop  trying  unless  their 
first  efforts  are  successful. 

The  use  of  questions,  in  the  answering  of  which  thoughtful 
judgment  about  every-day  affairs  would  be  required,  has  always 
been  a favourite  method  of  discovering  the  degree  of  intelligence 
possessed  by  a child  or  by  an  adult.  Binet,  the  French  psychol- 
ogist who  developed  the  mental-age  scale  for  testing  feeble- 
minded subjects,  included  in  his  series  a number  of  test  questions 
of  this  type.  The  Stanford  Revision  of  the  Binet  tests  includes 
three  such  questions  in  the  Eight- Year-Old  series,  and  three 
other  more  difficult  questions  in  the  Ten-Year-Old  list. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


259 


The  chief  modification  of  the  method  in  adapting  it  for  group 
testing  was  the  supplying  of  three  or  four  answers  from  which 
the  subject  should  select  the  correct  reply.  This  change  makes 
the  markings  of  the  results  quite  simple,  but  it  takes  from  the 
test  itself  some  of  its  virtue  as  a measure  of  the  richness  of  ideas 
possessed  by  the  person  tested.  Instead  of  having  to  think  out 
an  appropriate  answer,  one  needs  only  to  read  the  answers 
printed  and  to  use  good  judgment  in  selecting  the  one  to  be 
checked  as  “best.” 

The  Mentimeter  form  of  the  test,  although  superior  in  its 
length  and  arrangement  to  the  military  version,  is  nevertheless 
not  yet  ideal  as  an  intelligence  test.  The  simplest  questions 
and  answers  that  can  be  printed  are  too  diflficult  for  first-  and 
second-grade  school  pupils  to  read  and  understand,  while  the 
most  difficult  questions  and  answers  one  could  devise  would  not 
be  general  enough  in  their  subject  matter  to  be  included  in  a 
“general  intelligence”  test.  In  other  words,  the  range  of 
ability  that  this  test  will  measure  is  not  so  wide  as  that  measured 
by  some  other  Mentimeter  tests,  with  the  result  that  the  speed 
of  reading  and  of  making  judgments  plays  a larger  part  in 
determining  the  final  score  than  it  would  in  a perfect  intelligence 
test.  In  spite  of  the  large  part  played  by  speed,  the  test  is  a 
useful  index  of  ability  to  learn  in  certain  lines  of  work  where  rapid 
decisions  on  practical  problems  are  necessary. 

It  is  probable  that  the  Practical  Judgment  test  will  be  found 
more  useful  in  the  measurement  of  intelligence  among  school 
children  and  clerical  workers  than  in  the  classification  of  general 
employees,  although  the  reader  may  find  unexpected  relation- 
ships between  this  test  and  certain  routine  occupations.  Re- 
liance should  be  placed  upon  it  only  after  it  has  demonstrated  in 
actual  trials  that  it  has  a close  relationship  to  the  special  ability 
desired. 

Its  use  in  social  gatherings  as  a form  of  entertainment  will  be 
greatest  where  each  person  marks  the  papers  of  some  other 
memberof  the  group  and  reports  the  judgments  found  incorrect. 


260 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


Most  persons  are  surprised,  when  they  come  to  look  over  their 
booklets  carefully,  to  find  how  many  foolish  errors  have  crept 
into  their  records  while  working  at  high  speed.  In  order  to 
increase  the  number  of  imperfect  records  and  thereby  add 
somewhat  to  the  amusement  of  the  group,  the  examiner  may 
announce  and  use  two  minutes  as  the  time  limit,  and  urge 
everyone  to  try  to  work  all  of  the  24  questions  in  that  time. 
The  general  confusion  will  be  increased  if  the  examiner  signals 
the  end  of  the  first  minute  and  the  end  of  a minute  and  a half. 
Under  such  conditions,  of  course,  no  serious  use  can  be  made  of 
the  results  obtained.  The  score  on  the  test  is  not  to  be  used 
seriously  except  where  the  instructions  and  procedure  are  exactly 
as  specified  below. 

Directions  for  Giving  the  Test, 

Candidates  should  be  comfortably  seated  at  a table  or 
supplied  with  a convenient  writing  board.  A well-sharpened 
pencil  (or  pen  with  ink)  should  be  in  the  hands  of  each  can- 
didate before  any  blanks  are  passed  out.  The  test  booklets 
should  then  be  distributed,  the  announcement  being  clearly 
made  beforehand  that  “no  one  will  be  allowed  to  open  the  book- 
let or  turn  it  over  until  the  signal  is  given  to  do  so.” 

When  each  candidate  has  been  supplied  with  a test  booklet, 
title  page  up,  the  examiner  should  say:  “Now,  write  your  name 
on  the  blank  following  the  word  Name.”  After  a pause 
long  enough  to  allow  this  direction  to  be  carried  out,  the  ex- 
aminer should  continue  with  a similar  instruction  for  each 
of  the  other  pieces  of  information  required  by  the  title  page 
blanks.  “Age  at  last  birthday”  should  be  insisted  upon,  if 
there  is  any  question  of  reporting  age  in  any  other  way.  Group 
numbers  and  locations  may  be  left  blank  where  only  small  num- 
bers of  persons  are  being  tested  and  where  there  is  no  probability 
of  getting  the  papers  from  one  place  mixed  with  those  from  some 
other  place.  The  name  of  the  school,  factory,  or  city  will 
usually  be  sufficient  for  the  blank  headed  “Location.” 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


261 


After  the  necessary  identifying  information  has  been  en- 
tered at  the  top  of  the  title  page,  the  examiner  should  ask  the 
candidates  to  read  silently  the  directions  while  he  reads  them 
aloud.  He  should  then  read  slowly  and  distinctly: 

“The  following  pages  contain  24  questions  and  4 answers 
to  each  question.  You  are  to  vote  for  the  best  answer  to 
each  question  by  making  a check  mark  {V)  in  the  square  that 
stands  before  it.  The  questions  are  not  hard,  and  you  will 
be  allowed  3 minutes  to  check  the  best  answers,  but  be  sure 
to  work  carefully  and  rapidly.  Vote  only  for  the  one  best 
answer  to  each  question.  Turn  the  page!  Go!” 

At  the  end  of  exactly  3 minutes  after  saying  “Go!”  the 
examiner  should  call  “Stop!  Close  your  booklets  and  pass 
them  to  me.”  All  papers  should  be  collected  at  once  in  order 
to  avoid  unfairness  and  cheating. 


MARK  (i/)  THE  SQUARE  IN  FRONT  OF  THE  BEST 
ANSWER  TO  EACH  QUESTION 

1.  What  should  one  do  when  he  is  thirsty.^ 

n Cry  until  someone  gives  him  a drink, 
n Eat  a piece  of  salt  pork. 

[ J Get  a drink  of  water. 

□ Read  a Coca  Cola  advertisement. 


2.  Why  do  children  like  to  eat  candy? 

□ It  makes  them  fat. 

□ It  tastes  good. 

□ It  is  good  for  them. 

□ It  is  a cheap  food. 


262 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


3.  What  should  one  do  if  it  is  raining  when  he  starts  to  work? 

n Put  on  lighter  clothing, 
n Wear  a raincoat. 

□ Call  up  the  office. 

□ Stay  at  home  all  day. 

4.  What  is  the  thing  to  do  when  your  house  catches  fire? 

□ Try  to  find  out  how  it  started. 

□ Ring  the  alarm  and  try  to  put  out  the  fire. 

□ Run  in  the  other  direction. 

□ Watch  it  burn  and  calculate  your  insurance. 

5.  What  should  one  do  if  he  accidently  steps  on  someone  else’s 

toes? 

n Call  for  help. 

□ Run  for  the  doctor. 

□ Ask  the  person’s  pardon. 

□ Take  his  own  part. 

6.  Why  do  the  leaves  fall  off  the  trees  in  the  autumn? 

n The  frost  has  killed  them. 

□ To  protect  the  flowers  from  freezing. 

□ To  enrich  the  ground. 

□ So  that  one  can  see  farther. 

7.  Why  do  people  wear  heavier  clothing  in  January  than  in 

June? 

n To  protect  them  from  the  colder  weather, 
n Because  it  looks  better  with  furs. 

□ Everybody  else  does  it,  especially  in  January. 

□ It  makes  a good  impression  on  other  people. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


263 


8.  Where  might  one  expect  to  find  the  largest  number  of  expert 

swimmers? 

□ At  the  circus. 

□ At  the  beach  of  a summer  resort. 

□ At  a Sunday  School  picnic. 

□ At  a moving  picture  show. 

9.  What  should  a person  do  when  he  is  late  getting  started  to 

work  in  the  morning? 

n Wait  until  the  next  day. 

Think  up  some  excuse  to  make. 

[j  Try  to  make  time  by  hurrying. 

□ Blame  it  on  the  street  cars. 

10.  Why  do  school  houses  usually  have  flag-poles? 

O For  the  boys  to  exercise  on. 
n To  show  where  to  have  a flag  drill. 

□ To  display  the  flag  and  inspire  patriotism. 

□ To  decorate  the  school  yard. 

11.  Why  does  water  freeze  in  winter? 

□ It  is  warm  in  summer  and  we  need  ice. 

□ So  the  children  can  skate. 

□ Water  always  becomes  solid  at  low  temperatures. 

□ So  it  can  be  put  in  refrigerators. 

12.  What  is  the  best  way  to  stop  up  a hole  by  which  mice  enter 

the  kitchen? 

□ Stuff  it  with  paper. 

□ Place  a pile  of  rags  in  front  of  it. 

□ Put  a corn  cob  in  it. 

□ Nail  a piece  of  tin  over  it. 


(over) 


264 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


13.  Why  is  milk  a good  thing  to  feed  young  children? 

□ It  comes  from  cows  that  eat  fresh  grass. 

□ It  is  an  easily  digested  and  wholesome  food. 

□ It  is  so  pure  and  white  to  look  at. 

□ It  can  be  bought  in  pint  or  quart  bottles. 

14.  What  kind  of  light  is  best  for  a reading  table? 

□ A tallow  candle. 

□ A mercury  vapour  lamp. 

□ A coal  oil  lantern. 

□ An  incandescent  electric  bulb. 

15.  WTiat  is  the  purpose  of  advertising  food  products? 

□ To  make  people  hungry. 

□ To  decorate  street  cars  and  magazines. 

□ To  make  people  think  about  eating. 

□ To  create  a demand  for  special  brands. 

16.  Why  is  harness  put  on  horses? 

n So  that  their  strength  may  be  utilized, 
n So  that  their  beauty  will  be  recognized. 

□ To  match  the  colour  of  the  carriage. 

□ To  keep  them  warm. 

17.  Why  do  people  put  food  in  refrigerators? 

□ To  get  it  out  of  the  way. 

□ The  low  temperature  keeps  it  fresh. 

□ To  help  ice  men  make  a living. 

O Because  the  law  requires  it. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


265 


18.  Why  are  fire  escapes  more  frequently  put  on  tall  buildings 

than  on  one-story  buildings? 

□ A tall  building  is  more  likely  to  burn  down. 

□ They  would  spoil  the  looks  of  a low  building. 

□ Low  buildings  have  fire  extinguishers. 

□ One  could  jump  from  one-story  buildings. 

19.  What  should  one  do  with  a baby  when  it  cries? 

□ Discover  and  remove  the  cause  of  its  crying. 

□ Spank  it  and  put  it  to  bed. 

□ Get  it  a drink  of  water  and  rock  its  cradle. 

□ Give  it  a bottle  of  milk  or  sing  to  it. 

20.  Why  is  country  air  considered  more  healthful  than  city  air? 

□ It  has  fewer  impurities  in  it. 

□ Trees  and  grass  grow  in  the  country. 

□ More  people  die  in  the  city. 

□ The  wind  is  stronger  in  the  country. 

21.  Why  do  railroads  use  electric  engines  in  some  cities? 

□ They  run  faster  than  steam  engines. 

□ They  look  better  than  steam  engines. 

□ To  avoid  making  the  city  smoky. 

□ In  order  to  make  less  noise. 

22.  What  is  the  main  purpose  of  lightning  rods? 

□ To  decorate  the  roof  of  the  house. 

□ To  make  the  lightning  strike  somewhere  else. 

□ To  show  which  way  the  wind  blows. 

□ To  remove  the  electricity  from  the  air. 


(over) 


266 


MEASUKE  YOUR  MIND 


23.  What  is  the  safest  altitude  and  speed  for  flying  in  an  airplane? 

□ Low  and  slowly. 

□ Low  and  rapidly, 
n High  and  rapidly. 

□ High  and  slowly. 

24.  What  is  the  chief  purpose  of  newspaper  headlines? 


□ To  make  the  paper  attractive. 

□ To  show  what  actually  happened. 

□ To  help  one  decide  where  to  read. 

□ To  guide  public  opinion  wisely. 

Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  score  in  this  test  is  the  number  of  questions  correctly 
answered.  A stencil  is  furnished  with  each  package  of  tests, 
which  makes  it  possible  to  check  up  at  a very  rapid  rate  the  ac- 
curacy of  the  votes  cast,  without  ever  reading  a single  word  of 
the  answers.  The  stencil  is  merely  to  be  adjusted  to  the  page, 
according  to  directions  given  on  its  face,  and  where  the  check 
mark  made  by  the  candidate  corresponds  to  the  printed  mark 
on  the  stencil  the  question  has  been  correctly  answered,  while 
if  there  is  not  agreement  between  stencil  and  candidate’s  check 
no  credit  is  to  be  allowed  on  the  question.  Any  fairly  careful 
clerical  worker  can  learn  in  two  minutes  to  score  such  a test 
with  a stencil  as  rapidly  and  accurately  as  a thoroughly  trained 
psychologist  could  do  it. 

The  flnal  score  should  be  entered  in  the  lower  right-hand 
corner  of  the  front  or  title  page,  where  it  will  be  easily  associated 
with  the  name  and  other  information  about  the  candidate. 


Scores  from 

« << 


«(  « 


0 to 
4 “ 
9 “ 
15  “ 
19  “ 


3 indicate  Inferior  Ability 
8 “ Low  Average  Ability 

14  “ Average  Ability 

19  “ High  Average  Ability 

24  “ Low  Superior  Ability 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


267 


Mentimeter  No.  30 
LOGICAL-CONCLUSIONS  TEST 

Character  of  the  Test. 

This  test  is  to  be  given  to  large  groups  of  individuals  at  the 
same  time,  although  it  may  be  given  as  a part  of  an  individual 
examination.  It  will  not  be  found  worth  while  to  give  this  test 
to  individuals  who  have  not  had  at  least  the  equivalent  of  an 
elementary  school  education.  The  solution  of  the  problems 
contained  is  so  difficult  that  not  more  than  half  of  the  pupils  of 
the  sixth  or  seventh  grade  of  the  elementary  school  would  be 
able  to  answer  correctly  more  than  five  or  six  of  the  problems. 

The  method  of  the  test  is  to  present  a short  hypothesis,  intro- 
duced by  the  word  “if”  and  followed  by  four  different  conclu- 
sions introduced  by  the  word  “then.”  The  individual  being 
examined  should  read  carefully  the  first  part  of  the  statement 
and  understand  exactly  what  it  means,  and  should  then  put  a 
check  mark  before  the  conclusion  which  would  logically  follow 
the  hypothesis.  There  are  twelve  of  these  problems,  beginning 
with  one  which  is  quite  simple  and  elementary,  and  progressing 
to  more  difficult  and  more  complex  statements  of  a similar  na- 
ture. The  explanations  by  which  this  test  is  introduced  are 
illustrated  by  an  example  and  are  not  difficult  to  understand. 
The  difficulty  of  the  test  lies  in  keeping  clearly  in  mind  just  what 
are  the  implications  of  the  introductory  statement  or  hypothesis. 

The  present  test  is  almost  entirely  new,  both  in  its  form  and  in 
its  content.  The  nearest  approach  to  this  particular  test  was 
made  by  Dr.  Agnes  L.  Rogers  at  the  suggestion  of  Professor 
Thorndike,  when  she  prepared  a list  of  six  problems  of  which 
the  following  is  a good  sample:  “P  is  larger  than  Q,  R is  smaller 

than  Q,  therefore  P is R.”  The  blank  is  to  be  filled 

in.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  present  Mentimeter  differs 
from  Doctor  Rogers’s  test  in  that  names  of  familiar  persons  or 
objects  are  used  in  place  of  the  capital  letters  and  that  four 


268 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


conclusions  are  stated  from  which  the  subject  is  to  select  the 
proper  one,  rather  than  leaving  to  the  subject  the  formulation 
of  his  own  conclusion. 

Because  of  its  newness,  it  will  be  impossible  to  state  here  just 
what  is  measured  by  this  test,  but  certainly  the  ability  to  read 
and  understand  the  words  is  one  factor,  and  the  ability  to  think 
clearly  about  the  logical  implications  of  these  words  is  another 
very  important  element  making  for  success.  The  ability  to  see 
the  relations  between  the  words  is  probably  as  near  to  what  may 
be  called  “logical  ability”  or  “reasoning”  as  to  any  other  popu- 
larly recognized  “mental  qualification.”  Although  Doctor 
Rogers  found  a coefficient  of  correlation  of  .65  between  her  form 
of  the  logical  reasoning  test  and  a composite  measure  of  mathe- 
matical ability,  the  present  Mentimeter  is  so  different  that  its 
true  value  can  only  be  indicated  by  the  comparisons  which  its 
users  will  be  able  to  make  between  their  results  and  the  most 
accurate  measures  obtainable  of  special  ability. 

This  test  will  probably  have  very  little  usefulness  in  com- 
mercial or  industrial  fields,  although  it  may  be  very  helpful  for 
a professional  group  such  as  lawyers,  educators,  etc.,  in  the  selec- 
tion of  clerical  or  professional  assistants.  In  the  public  schools, 
it  is  quite  certain  that  it  should  not  be  used  below  the  high  school 
grades.  Even  in  the  high  school,  it  is  probable  that  only 
those  with  very  great  ability  in  handling  abstract  ideas  and 
symbols  of  ideas  will  be  able  to  make  a high  score. 

The  subject  matter  of  those  statements  which  appear  in  the 
test  is  such  as  would  not  be  found  in  ordinary  life  and  has  very 
little  value  in  itself.  As  an  entertainment  feature,  this  test  will 
not  be  successful  except  among  a very  specially  selected  group 
of  people  who  believe  themselves  to  be  extraordinarily  keen  in- 
tellectually. It  might  be  held  in  reserve  as  a special  “stunt” 
for  any  persons  who  seem  to  think  that  they  have  demonstrated 
their  “high-brow”  qualities  by  making  high  scores  in  other  tests. 
Shortening  the  time  limit  from  five  minutes  to  three  minutes 
would  further  add  to  the  consternation  of  such  persons. 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


269 


Directions  for  Giving  the  Test. 

The  examiner  should  distribute  one  test  booklet  to  each  can- 
didate, announcing  at  the  beginning  of  the  distribution  that  the 
booklets  should  not  be  opened  or  turned  over  until  an  order  to  that 
effect  is  given.  Since  the  blanks  on  the  front  cover  of  the  book- 
let will  be  self-explanatory  to  any  person  capable  of  taking  the 
test,  the  examiner  may  direct  that  each  candidate  fill  out  the 
blanks  on  the  title  page  of  his  booklet  as  soon  as  he  receives  it. 

When  the  information  blanks  have  been  filled  satisfactorily 
the  examiner  should  ask  the  candidates  to  read  the  directions 
silently  while  he  reads  them  aloud.  This  reading  should  be  at  a 
very  deliberate  rate  and  in  good,  clear  tones : 

“The  following  pages  contain  twelve  sentences,  each  sentence 
being  printed  with  four  different  endings.  Only  one  of  these 
endings  can  be  true  if  the  first  part  of  the  sentence  is  true.  You 
are  to  decide  which  ending  or  conclusion  is  truest  or  agrees  best 
with  the  first  part,  and  to  make  a mark  in  the  square  standing  in 
front  of  that  best  ending.  Notice  the  example: 

“If  roses  cost  more  than  violets,  then  violets 

□ cost  more  than  roses 

□ cost  as  much  as  roses 

□ do  not  cost  as  much  as  roses 

□ do  not  cost  less  than  roses 

“The  only  one  of  the  four  endings  which  can  be  true,  if  the 
first  part  of  the  sentence  is  true,  is  the  third,  ‘ violets  do  not  cost 
as  much  as  roses,’  so  the  square  in  front  of  this  third  conclusion 
should  be  check-marked. 

“You  will  have  five  minutes  in  which  to  read  and  mark  the 
twelve  sentences.  Think  carefully  and  get  all  of  your  marks 
correctly  placed . Ready ! Go ! ” 

At  the  end  of  five  minutes  exactly,  call  “Stop!  Time  up! 
Give  me  your  papers.”  All  papers  should  be  collected  at  once. 


270 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


MARK  (i/)  THE  SQUARE  IN  FRONT  OF  THE 
TRUEST  ENDING  TO  EACH  SENTENCE 


1.  If  John  is  older  than  James,  then  John  is 

□ younger  than  James 

□ older  than  James 

□ not  as  old  as  James 

□ not  older  than  James 


2.  If  Mary  is  younger  than  Will,  then  Will  is 

□ younger  than  Mary 

□ not  older  than  Mary 

□ not  as  old  as  Mary 

□ older  than  Mary 


3.  If  Dot  is  taller  than  Pet,  then  Pet  is 

n as  tall  as  Dot 
n shorter  than  Dot 

□ not  shorter  than  Dot 

□ taller  than  Dot 


4.  If  May  is  heavier  than  Jean,  then  Jean  is 

n not  lighter  than  May 

□ as  heavy  as  May 

□ not  heavier  than  May 

□ heavier  than  May 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS  271 

5.  If  Walter  runs  faster  than  William,  and  William  runs 
faster  than  David,  then  David  runs 

□ faster  than  Walter 

□ as  fast  as  William 

□ as  fast  as  Walter 

n slower  than  William 


6.  If  Edna  is  smarter  than  Bertha,  and  Bertha  is  not  as  smart 
as  Mabel,  then  Mabel  is 

□ not  as  smart  as  Edna 

□ not  as  smart  as  Bertha 

□ smarter  than  Edna 

□ smarter  than  Bertha 


7.  If  Mr.  Jones  is  wealthier  than  Mr.  Smith,  and  Mr.  Smith  is 
poorer  than  Mr.  Brown,  then  Mr.  Smith  is 

□ not  as  poor  as  Mr.  Jones 

□ richer  than  Mr.  Jones 

□ not  as  rich  as  Mr.  Jones 

□ not  poorer  than  Mr.  Jones 


8.  If  Robert  is  noisier  than  Harold  and  Harold  is  as  noisy  as 
George,  then  George  is 

n not  noisier  than  Robert 

□ noisier  than  Robert 
n noisier  than  Harold 

□ not  as  quiet  as  Robert 


(over) 


272 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


9.  If  Henry  drives  faster  than  Joseph,  and  Joseph  drives  no 
more  slowly  than  Peter,  and  Peter  drives  more  rapidly 
than  Edgar,  then  Edgar  drives 

n as  rapidly  as  Henry 

□ no  more  slowly  than  Joseph 

□ as  swiftly  as  Peter 

□ less  rapidly  than  Henry 


10.  If  Monday  was  cooler  than  Wednesday,  and  Tuesday  was 
cooler  than  Monday,  and  Thursday  was  hotter  than 
Wednesday,  then  Monday  was 

n not  hotter  than  Tuesday 

□ not  cooler  than  Thursday 
n not  warmer  than  Thursday 

□ cooler  than  Tuesday 


11.  If  Mrs.  Brown  is  exactly  as  extravagant  as  Mrs.  Smith,  and 

Mrs.  Smith  is  less  extravagant  than  Mrs.  Jones,  then 
Mrs.  Jones  is 

n more  frugal  than  Mrs.  Brown 
n not  as  frugal  as  Mrs.  Brown 
n less  extravagant  than  Mrs.  Smith 

□ not  more  extravagant  than  Mrs.  Smith 

12.  If  there  were  four  parades  in  a month,  and  the  first  was 

larger  than  the  fourth,  and  the  third  was  smaller  than  the 
second,  and  the  second  was  not  smaller  than  the  first,  then 
the  fourth  was 

□ larger  than  the  second 

□ equal  to  the  second 

n not  smaller  than  the  second 

□ not  larger  than  the  second 


THE  MENTIMETER  TESTS 


273 


Directions  for  Scoring  the  Test. 

The  score  in  this  test  is  the  number  of  sentences  for  which  the 
correct  conclusion  is  checked.  The  stencil  furnished  with  the 
test  booklets  makes  this  process  of  counting  the  number  correct 
so  simple  that  a child  can  do  it  almost  at  a glance.  The  degree 
of  intellectual  capacity  is  indicated  roughly  by  the  score  as 
follows. : 

Scores  0 to  1 indicate  Low  Average  or  Inferior  Ability 

“ 2 ‘‘  5 “ Average  Ability 

“ 6 “ 8 “ High  Average  Ability 

“ 9 “ 12  “ Superior  Ability 

Attention  should  be  invited  here  again  to  the  fact  that  this  is  a 
new  test  and  that  its  reliability  and  implications  will  need  to  be 
carefully  tested  and  measured  before  one  can  be  sure  what  it 
measures  or  how  accurate  it  is. 


CHAPTER  XI 

TRADE  TESTS  OR  TESTS  OF  SKILL 

While  the  determination  of  individual  skill  in  the  perform- 
ance of  a given  operation  is  not,  strictly  speaking,  a test  of 
intelligence  or  of  mental  capacity,  it  has  been  established  that 
the  most  accurate  and  speedy  method  of  discovering  the  precise 
degree  of  skill  possessed  by  any  artisan  is  closely  analogous  to 
the  scientific  method  of  mental  measurement.  It  has  been 
found,  moreover,  that  there  is  quite  a close  relation  between  an 
individual  workman’s  skill  at  his  trade  and  the  degree  of  mental 
capacity  disclosed  by  the  Mentimeter  or  similar  scientific  tests; 
the  more  intelligent  the  worker,  the  greater  his  skill  if  he  has  any 
natural  aptitude  for  his  trade. 

Many  persons  view  with  skepticism  the  idea  that  a workman’s 
degree  of  skill  at  his  trade  can  be  determined  by  tests  that  re- 
quire but  a few  minutes.  A month,  they  argue,  is  little  enough 
for  an  expert  foreman  to  classify  justly  the  men  under  him,  after 
observing  their  skill  with  his  own  eyes.  When  it  is  proposed  that 
those  who  apply  the  tests  for  any  trade  need  not  themselves  be 
skilled  in  it  and  may,  in  fact,  know  nothing  about  it,  it  is  no 
wonder  that  they  doubt  the  practicality  of  a method  so  foreign 
to  previous  conceptions  and  practice. 

Psj^chologists  have  long  realized  that  the  same  methods  by 
which  mental  qualities,  abilities,  and  capacities  are  determined, 
analyzed,  and  measured,  could  be  applied  to  the  measurement  of 
manual  dexterity  or  the  combination  of  manual  dexterity,  judg- 
ment, perception,  adaptability,  and  patience  that,  taken  together, 
make  the  skilled  workman.  For,  as  the  reader  who  has  perused 
this  book  thus  far  will  long  since  have  recognized,  there  is  in- 
274 


TRADE  TESTS  OR  TESTS  OF  SKILL 


275 


eluded  in  the  foregoing  list  of  qualities  a predominance  of  those 
which  come  quite  definitely  under  the  classification  of  mental 
abilities  or  capacities.  As  has  been  previously  pointed  out,  it 
is  impossible  to  separate  mental  and  physical  powers,  and 
psychologists  do  not  regard  the  mind  as  a separate  entity,  but 
merely  as  a convenient  term  for  the  definition  of  certain  of  the 
higher  physical  powers  and  their  manifestations.  And  just  as  a 
certain  type  of  nervous  (physical)  organism  manifests  itself  in 
the  development  of  abilities  which  we  are  accustomed  to  term 
“intellectuar’  or  “mental,”  so  the  abilities  which  we  call 
“physical”  or  “manual”  are  merely  other  manifestations  of  a 
different  type  of  nervous  organism. 

The  principal  distinction,  scientifically,  between  a trade  test 
and  an  intelligence  test,  is  in  the  purpose  to  be  served  by  the 
test.  In  the  intelligence  test  the  aim  is  to  ascertain  the  sub- 
ject’s general  capacity;  in  the  trade  test,  to  discover  his  present 
ability  or  degree  of  skill  in  some  special  direction.  Capacity,  as 
has  been  previously  pointed  out,  is  only  to  be  measured  in  terms 
of  demonstrable  ability,  so  that  in  the  application  of  trade  tests, 
although  limited  in  their  scope  to  a single  class  or  kind  of  ability, 
there  is  also  obtainable  as  a by-product  a partial  measure  of  the 
subject’s  mental  capacity. 

While  trade  tests  devised  by  psychologists  had  been  demon- 
strated, in  a number  of  industries,  to  be  superior  to  any  other 
method,  both  in  picking  the  most  skilful  workers  from  among 
all  applicants  for  positions,  and  in  transferring  workers  from 
one  department  to  another  in  large  industries,  it  was  in  the  class- 
ification and  placement  of  the  personnel  of  the  Army  during 
the  war  that  the  first  really  large-scale  demonstration  of  the 
precision  and  effectiveness  of  scientifically  devised  trade  tests 
was  made.  While  one  group  of  psychologists,  working  under 
the  direction  of  the  Surgeon-General’s  Oflice,  was  engaged  in 
classifying  the  Army  personnel  by  means  of  intelligence  tests 
the  Personnel  Branch  of  the  Operations  Division  of  the  General 
Staff,  organized  and  officered  by  trained  psychologists,  was 


276 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


undertaking  the  task  of  determining  the  special  technical  and 
vocational  ability  of  the  millions  of  men  drawn  into  the  Army 
through  the  medium  of  the  selective  draft. 

This  personnel  organization  had  a multiplex  duty  to  perform. 
First,  it  had  to  ascertain  with  precision  what  particular  kinds 
of  work  had  to  be  done  in  the  preparation  of  an  army  for  battle 
and  in  its  transport  and  maintenance.  This  involved  not  only 
finding  out  just  what  needed  to  be  done  but  translating  this 
need  into  terms  of  trades  and  occupations. 

For  example,  the  Army  might  report  that  it  needed  a number 
of  men  capable  of  making  all  sorts  of  repairs  to  electric  genera- 
tors and  motors.  The  Personnel  Division  proceeded  to  analyze 
the  special  qualifications  required  of  electricians  to  enable  them 
to  meet  this  demand.  These  were  listed,  along  with  the  quali- 
fications required  for  every  other  army  occupation,  in  a thick 
book  entitled  Trade  Specifications  Index.  There  were  239 
pages  in  this  book  and  in  it  were  set  forth  in  specific  detail  the 
exact  qualifications  needed  by  565  different  kinds  of  trade  and 
technical  experts.  Chauffeurs,  for  instance,  were  classed  as 
auto  drivers,  auto  drivers  with  pigeon  experience,  motorcycle 
drivers  with  pigeon  experience,  plain  motorcyclists,  heavy  auto- 
truck drivers,  motor  truck  drivers,  and  plain  chauffeurs.  There 
were  sixteen  different  classes  of  electricians,  each  of  which  re- 
quired a man  with  special  experience  and  knowledge.  Nine 
different  kinds  of  chemists  were  used  in  the  Army. 

It  was  a big  job,  in  the  first  place,  to  determine  exactly  how 
men  should  be  classified.  After  the  classification  had  been  de- 
cided upon,  it  then  became  necessary  to  devise  simple,  rapid, 
and  accurate  methods  of  placing  every  enlisted  man  in  the 
Army  in  his  proper  classification,  and  then  of  so  indexing  three 
or  four  millions  of  men  that  any  particular  demand  eould  be 
met.  For  example,  one  camp  might  ask  for  three  farriers,  nine 
sanitary  engineers,  two  car  carpenters,  six  boilermakers,  and  a 
pipe  fitter.  It  was  necessary  that  some  system  be  perfected 
to  permit  of  the  filling  of  this  order  instantly  by  taking  the  men 


TRADE  TESTS  OR  TESTS  OF  SKILL 


277 


qualified  to  perform  these  duties  out  of  the  camps  where  they 
were  undergoing  military  training. 

The  whole  system  had  as  its  basis  a card  for  each  soldier,  on 
which,  by  a simple  system  of  marginal  numbers,  punch  holes, 
and  coloured  index  tags  the  record  of  each  man’s  precise  ability 
was  kept.  Every  man,  as  he  was  inducted  into  the  service, 
was  required  first  to  make  a preliminary,  rough  classification  of 
himself — that  is  to  say,  he  recorded  himself  as  a tailor,  a black- 
smith, or  a milk  wagon  driver.  But  the  Trade  Specifications 
Index  was  as  precise  in  its  detail  as  a dictionary.  It  was,  in 
fact,  a collection  of  definitions  of  what  was  meant  by  occupation- 
al titles  which  had  vague  or  various  meanings  in  different  parts 
of  the  country.  Thus,  a man  might  have  classified  himself  as  a 
tailor  who,  if  called  upon  to  make  a uniform,  would  have  been 
unable  to  do  so.  Tailoring  had  to  be  subdivided,  from  simple 
pressing  and  repairing  up  to  expert  fitting.  One  might  be  a 
good  coat  maker  while  another  had  never  worked  on  anything 
but  trousers. 

So  there  was  devised  a system  of  trade  and  occupational  tests 
to  which  every  man  claiming  skill  at  a trade  was  subjected,  and 
which  determined,  as  nearly  as  it  is  humanly  possible  to  do, 
exactly  the  degree  and  kind  of  vocational  skill  possessed  by  every 
man  in  the  Army. 

When  the  problem  of  formulating  tests  was  analyzed,  it  was 
seen  that  certain  requirements  were  fundamental.  Trade  tests 
to  be  absolutely  satisfactory, 

1.  Must  differentiate  between  the  various  grades  of  skill; 

2.  Must  produce  uniform  results  in  various  places  and  in  the 
hands  of  individuals  of  widely  different  characteristics; 

3.  Must  consume  the  least  amount  of  time  and  energy  con- 
sistent with  the  best  results. 

Now  it  must  be  recognized  that  trades  useful  in  the  Army  are 
of  many  kinds  and  of  widely  differing  requirements.  Trade 
ability  in  any  one  of  them,  however,  means  about  the  same  thing. 
It  means  that  the  workman  is  not  simply  the  possessor  of  a 


278 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


single  item  of  information,  nor  simply  able  to  execute  one  par- 
ticular movement  required  by  the  trade,  but  that  he  has  many 
items  of  information  more  or  less  systematized  together  with 
the  ability  to  execute  various  movements  not  only  singly  but  in 
combinations. 

While  there  are  all  degrees  of  trade  ability  among  the  members 
of  any  trade,  it  is  convenient  to  classify  them  in  a few  main 
groups.  Ordinarily  the  terms  Novice,  Apprentice,  Journey- 
man, and  Journeyman  Expert  (or  Expert)  are  employed.  The 
Novice  is  a man  who  has  no  trade  ability  whatever,  or  at  least 
none  that  could  not  be  paralleled  by  practically  any  intelligent 
man.  The  Apprentice  has  acquired  some  of  the  elements  of 
the  trade  but  is  not  sufficiently  skilled  to  be  entrusted  with  an 
important  task.  The  Journeyman  is  qualified  to  perform  al- 
most any  work  done  by  members  of  the  trade.  The  Expert  can 
perform  quickly  and  with  superior  skill  any  work  done  by  men 
in  the  trade. 

It  is  sometimes  desirable  that  the  Trade  test  should  differ- 
entiate between  the  skill  of  different  members  of  the  same  group, 
for  instance,  of  the  journeyman  group.  It  is  essential  that  it 
should  differentiate  between  the  journeyman  and  the  apprentice 
and  the  apprentice  and  the  novice.  Trade  tests  devised  to  make 
this  classification  are  of  three  kinds : oral,  picture,  and  perform- 
ance. 

The  oral  tests  are  most  generally  used  because  they  are  of 
low  cost  and  they  may  be  applied  to  a large  number  of  men  in  a 
comparatively  short  time  and  without  much  equipment.  They 
are  satisfactory  in  determining  the  presence  or  absence  of  trade 
ability  and  in  many  instances  determine  the  degree  of  ability 
with  such  accuracy  that  no  other  tests  are  required. 

As  a preliminary  to  the  preparation  of  a trade  test,  there  is 
required  a thorough  inquiry  into  the  conditions  of  the  trade. 
This  inquiry  has  a threefold  purpose: 

1.  To  determine  the  feasibility  of  a test  in  this  field.  Does 
the  trade  actually  exist  as  a recognized  trade?  It  was  found, 


TRADE  TESTS  OR  TESTS  OF  SKILL  279 

for  example,  that  the  trade  of  gunsmith  was  not  a recognized 
trade,  though  there  were  gun  repairers. 

2.  To  determine  the  elements  which  require  and  permit  of 
testing.  In  other  words,  can  men  be  graded  in  it  according  to 
degrees  of  skill  In  some  trades  it  was  found  that  the  trade 
required  simply  the  performance  of  a single  set  of  operations 
and  there  were  no  gradations  among  the  members  of  the  trade. 

3.  To  determine  the  kinds  of  tests  that  can  be  used.  Some 
trades,  such  as  truck  driving  and  typewriting,  are  mainly  mat- 
ters of  skill,  and  for  them  performance  tests  are  better  than  oral 
tests.  Other  trades,  such  as  interior  wiring  and  power-plant 
operation,  are  mainly  matters  of  knowledge.  For  these  trades 
oral  and  picture  tests  are  best. 

After  having  discovered  by  inquiry  that  the  trade  is  a recog- 
nized trade  and  can  be  tested,  information  is  collected  from  all 
available  sources.  In  the  Army’s  preparation  of  trade  tests 
experts  in  the  trade,  trade  union  officials,  the  literature  of  the 
trade,  trade  school  authorities,  employers,  and  the  like  were  con- 
sulted. In  this  way  it  was  discovered  what  are  the  elements  of 
the  trade  and  what  constitutes  proficiency  in  it. 

As  a result  of  this  collection  of  information  it  was  possible  to 
compile  a number  of  questions,  usually  from  forty  to  sixty,  each 
of  which  called  for  an  answer  that  showed  knowledge  of  the  trade. 
Experience  in  the  formulation  of  such  questions  has  shown 
that  a good  question  meets  the  following  requirements : 

1.  It  must  be  in  the  language  of  the  trade. 

2.  It  must  be  a unit,  complete  in  itself  and  requiring  no 
further  explanation. 

3.  It  must  not  be  a chance  question  that  could  be  answered 
by  a good  guess.  The  extreme  example  would  be  a question 
calling  for  the  answer  *‘y^s”  or  “no.” 

4.  It  must  be  as  short  as  possible  and  must  be  capable  of  be- 
ing answered  by  a very  short  answer. 

5.  It  must  not  be  ambiguous;  the  meaning  must  be  unmis- 
takable. 


280 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


After  the  large  number  of  questions  originally  formulated  has 
been  sifted  down  by  application  of  the  requirements  stated  above 
and  others  of  less  importance  they  are  used  in  a preliminary 
sampling  on  a number  of  artisans  engaged  in  the  trade,  usually 
from  nine  to  twelve,  whose  answers  indicate  the  merits  of  the 
different  questions  and  their  grades,  from  easy  to  difficult.  In 
this  sampling,  tradesmen  from  different  shops  or  plants  are 
tried  in  order  to  guard  against  specialized  methods  or  modes  of 
expression  confined  to  a single  locality.  At  least  two  examiners 
worked  on  each  set  of  questions  at  this  stage,  in  the  Army’s 
work,  to  get  the  benefit  of  more  than  one  point  of  view  for 
revision. 

This  preliminary  sampling  affords  a means  of  checking  on  the 
following  points : 

1.  Is  the  test  applicable  to  trade  conditions.^ 

2.  Does  the  test  represent  good  trade  practice.^ 

3.  In  what  way  can  parts  be  profitably  modified,  supple- 
mented, or  eliminated.^ 

4.  Does  the  test  represent  the  whole  range  of  the  trade,  from 
the  novice  to  the  expert.? 

5.  Is  it  a representative  sampling  of  the  whole  range  of  trade 
processes? 

In  the  light  of  the  answers  to  these  questions,  the  test  is  re- 
vised during  this  sampling  process  and  is  then  ready  to  be  for- 
mulated. This  formulation  consists  of  limiting  the  questions 
to  a small  enough  number  to  be  handled  in  a short  space  of  time 
and  to  a wide  enough  range  to  represent  every  possible  degree 
of  trade  skill.  The  questions  are  tabulated  and  are  then  ready 
to  be  used  in  the  final  sampling  process. 

Final  sampling  is  made  by  testing  twenty  men  who  are  known 
to  be  typical  representatives  of  each  group  (novice,  apprentice, 
journeyman,  expert).  Among  the  novices  tested  are  some 
highly  intelligent  and  mature  men  of  good  general  knowledge 
but  no  trade  ability.  Three  testing  stations  were  used  in  the 
Army’s  work:  one  in  Cleveland,  one  in  Newark,  and  one  in 


TRADE  TESTS  OR  TESTS  OF  SKILL 


281 


Pittsburgh,  in  order  to  get  the  benefit  of  wide  geographical 
distribution.  Examinations  were  given  to  men  whose  record 
in  the  trade  was  already  known  and  who  were  tested  as  nearly 
as  possible  in  the  same  manner  as  men  in  the  camps. 

The  results  of  this  final  sampling  are  turned  over  to  experts 
who  make  a careful  study  of  the  results  and  of  the  answers  to 
each  question.  This  enables  them  to  determine  the  relative 
value  of  each  individual  question  and  the  selection  that  makes 
a proper  balance. 

If  a trade  test  is  good,  a known  expert,  when  tested,  is  able 
to  answer  all,  or  nearly  all,  the  questions  correctly;  a journey- 
man is  able  to  answer  the  majority;  an  apprentice  a smaller 
part,  and  a novice  practically  none.  This  does  not  mean  that 
each  question  should  be  answered  correctly  by  all  the  experts, 
a majority  of  the  journeymen,  some  apprentices  but  no  novices. 
There  are  a few  questions  which  show  this  general  result.  A 
graphic  curve  when  plotted  for  such  a question  is  almost  a 
straight  line. 

Other  types  of  questions,  however,  are  more  common.  Some 
show  a distinct  line  of  cleavage  between  the  novice  and  the 
apprentice.  Novices  fail,  but  apprentices,  journeymen,  and  ex- 
perts alike  answer  correctly.  There  are  likewise  questions  that 
are  answered  correctly  by  nearly  all  journeymen  and  experts 
but  only  a few  apprentices,  and  questions  that  only  an  expert 
can  answer  correctly. 

Each  type  of  question  has  its  value  in  a good  test.  The  main 
requirement  is  that  the  tendency  of  the  curve  should  be  upward; 
a question  which  is  answered  correctly  by  more  journeymen 
than  experts  or  more  apprentices  than  journeymen  is  unde- 
sirable and  is  at  once  discarded.  A proper  balance  is  made  of 
the  others. 

One  task  still  remains;  namely,  that  of  calibrating  the  test. 
As  each  question  is  allowed  four  points,  it  becomes  necessary  to 
determine  how  many  points  should  indicate  an  expert,  how  many 
a journeyman,  etc.  Obviously  the  way  to  do  this  is  to  note  how 


282 


MEASURE  YOUR  MIND 


many  points  were  scored  by  the  known  experts  and  the  known 
journeymen  when  they  were  tested.  Ordinarily  the  expert 
scores  higher  than  the  journeyman  and  the  journeyman  higher 
than  the  apprentice.  It  frequently  happens  that  a few  journey- 
men score  as  high  as  the  lowest  of  the  experts  and  a few  ap- 
prentices as  high  as  the  lowest  of  the  journeymen.  There  are 
consequently  certain  overlappings  between  the  classes.  In 
calibrating,  the  object  is  to  draw  the  dividing  line  between 
classes  so  that  the  overlapping  shall  be  as  small  as  possible. 

When  these  dividing  lines,  or  critical  scores  as  they  are  usually 
called,  are  established,  the  test  is  ready  for  editing,  printing,  and 
distribution  to  camps. 

Picture  tests  are  made  in  practically  the  same  way  as  oral 
tests.  The  peculiar  characteristic  of  picture  tests  is  that  the 
questions  making  up  the  tests  relate  to  illustrations  of  trade 
tools  and  appliances. 

The  performance  tests  are  now  being  used  in  many  trades  for 
those  who  make  a satisfactory  showing  in  the  oral  or  picture 
tests.  These  performance  tests  are  devised  by  conference 
with  experts  in  the  trade.  They  consist  of  some  apparently 
simple  tasks  that  can  be  performed  quickly  and  with  a small 
amount  of  apparatus  but  that  nevertheless  indicate  clearly  the 
degree  of  skill  of  the  performer.  As  a result  of  experience  the 
following  have  been  drawn  up  as  the  requirements  for  a good 
performance  test: 

1.  It  should  require  the  smallest  possible  quantity  of  tools 
and  materials  and  these  should  be  capable  of  standardization; 

2.  A journeyman  should  not  require  more  than  45  minutes  to 
perform  it; 

3.  It  should  be  typical  of  the  work  required; 

4.  The  operations  should  be  exact  so  that  a correct  standard 
form  of  product  is  always  obtainable.  Performance  tests 
undergo  much  the  same  processes  of  sampling  as  do  the  oral 
and  picture  tests  and  they  are  calibrated  in  the  same  way.  The 
principle  followed  here,  as  elsewhere,  is  that  the  value  of  a test 


TRADE  TESTS  OR  TESTS  OF  SKILL 


283 


lies  not  in  its  theoretical  exactness  but  in  its  proved  ability  to 
pick  out  and  classify  correctly  men  of  all  degrees  of  skill  within 
the  trade.  If  the  test  does  classify  men  in  the  groups  in  which 
they  are  known  to  belong,  then  it  can  be  relied  upon  to  classify 
correctly  men  about  whom  nothing  is  known  in  advance. 

The  method  which  the  Army  pursued  is  adaptable  for  any 
private  enterprise.  The  work  done  under  the  direction  of  the 
Army  General  Staff  in  analyzing  the  essentials  of  nearly  seven 
hundred  trades  and  subdivisions  of  trades  and  in  preparing 
tests  for  a large  proportion  of  these  was  pioneer  work,  the  re- 
sults of  which,  in  the  shape  of  the  tests  themselves,  while  not 
issued  for  general  distribution,  are  available  as  a time-saving 
guide  to  those  who  are  interested  in  the  building  and  application 
of  trade  tests. 


APPENDICES 


APPENDIX  A 


Intelligence  Ratings  in  the  Army 
Reprinted  from  The  Personnel  Manual 
(Vol.  II  of  The  Personnel  System  of  the  United  States  Army) 

Purpose  of  the  Intelligence  Tests. — Under  the  direction  of  the  Division  of  Psy- 
chology, Medical  Department,  and  in  accordance  with  provisions  of  General 
Order  No.  74,  mental  tests  are  given  aU  recruits  during  the  two-weeks  detention 
period.  These  tests  provide  an  immediate  and  reasonably  dependable  classifica- 
tion of  the  men  according  to  general  intelligence.  Their  specific  purposes  are 
to  aid: — 

(1)  In  the  discovery  of  men  whose  superior  intelligence  suggests  their  con- 
sideration for  advancement; 

(2)  In  the  prompt  selection  and  assignment  to  Development  Battalions  of 
men  who  are  so  inferior  mentally  that  they  are  suited  only  for  selected  assign- 
ments; 

(3)  In  forming  organizations  of  uniform  mental  strength  where  such  uniform- 
ity is  desired; 

(4)  In  forming  organizations  of  superior  mental  strength  where  such  superior- 
ity is  demanded  by  the  nature  of  the  work  to  be  performed; 

(5)  In  selecting  suitable  men  for  various  army  duties  or  for  special  training 
in  colleges  or  technical  schools; 

(6)  In  the  early  formation  of  training  groups  within  a company  in  order  that 
each  man  may  receive  instruction  and  drill  according  to  his  ability  to  profit 
thereby; 

(7)  In  the  early  recognition  of  slow-thinking  minds  which  might  otherwise  be 
mistaken  for  stubborn  or  disobedient  characters; 

(8)  In  eliminating  from  the  army  those  men  whose  low-grade  intelligence 
renders  them  either  a burden  or  a menace  to  the  service. 

Nature  of  the  Tests. — ^The  tests  were  prepared  by  a special  committee  of  the 
American  Psychological  Association.  Before  being  ordered  into  general  use 
they  were  thoroughly  tried  out  in  four  National  Army  Cantonments,  and  from 
time  to  time  have  undergone  revision  to  increase  their  practical  usefulness. 
287 


288 


APPENDIX  A 


Between  May  1 and  October  1,  1918,  approximately  one  million  three  hun- 
dred thousand  men  were  tested. 

Three  systems  of  test  are  now  in  use: — 

(1)  Alpha.  This  is  a group  test  for  men  who  read  and  write  English.  It 
requires  only  fifty  minutes,  and  can  be  given  to  groups  as  large  as  500.  The 
test  material  is  so  arranged  that  each  of  its  212  questions  may  be  answered  with- 
out writing,  merely  by  underlining,  crossing  out,  or  checking.  The  papers  are 
later  scored  by  means  of  stencils,  so  that  nothing  is  left  to  the  personal  judgment 
of  those  who  do  the  scoring.  The  mental  rating  which  results  is  therefore  wholly 
objective. 

(2)  Beta.  This  is  a group  test  for  foreigners  and  illiterates.  It  may  be  given 
to  groups  of  from  75  to  300  and  requires  approximately  fifty  minutes.  Success 
in  Beta  does  not  depend  upon  knowledge  of  English,  as  the  instructions  are 
given  entirely  by  pantomime  and  demonstration.  Like  Alpha,  it  measures 
general  intelligence,  but  does  so  through  the  use  of  concrete  or  picture  material 
instead  of  by  the  use  of  printed  language.  It  is  also  scored  by  stencils  and  yields 
an  objective  rating. 

(3)  Individual  Tests.  Three  forms  of  individual  tests  are  used:  The  Yerkes- 
Bridges  Point  Scale,  the  Stanford-Binet  Scale,  and  the  Performance  Scale.  An 
individual  test  requires  from  fifteen  to  thirty  minutes.  The  instructions  for  the 
Performance  Scale  are  given  by  means  of  gestures  and  demonstration,  and  a high 
score  may  be  earned  in  it  by  an  intelligent  recruit  who  does  not  know  a word  of 
English. 

All  enlisted  men  are  given  either  Alpha  or  Beta  according  to  their  degree  of 
literacy.  Those  who  fail  in  Alpha  are  given  Beta,  and  those  who  fail  to  pass 
Test  Beta  are  given  an  individual  test. 

As  a result  of  the  tests,  each  man  is  rated  as  A,  B,  C+,  C,  C — , D,  D — or  E. 
The  letter  ratings  are  reported  to  the  Interviewing  Section  of  the  Personnel 
OflBce,  and  are  there  copied  on  the  Qualification  Cards  (in  the  square  marked 
Intelligence).  The  Psychological  Report,  after  the  grades  have  been  copied 
on  the  Qualification  Cards,  is  forwarded  from  the  Interviewing  Section  to  the 
Mustering  Section  of  the  Personnel  Office,  where  each  soldier’s  letter  rating 
is  copied  on  the  second  page  of  his  Service  Record.  A copy  of  the  Psychological 
Report  is  also  sent  by  the  Psychological  Examiner  to  the  Company  Command- 
er, who  uses  it  in  the  organization  of  his  company.  In  some  camps  the  en- 
tering of  Intelligence  Grades  on  Service  Records  has  been  left  to  company 
commanders,  but  accuracy  and  uniformity  is  secured  by  having  these  grades 
entered  in  the  Mustering  Section  of  the  Personnel  Office  when  the  Service  Rec- 
ords are  being  started. 

The  psychological  staff  in  a camp  is  ordinarily  able  to  test  2,000  men  per  day 
and  to  report  the  ratings  to  the  Personnel  Office  within  24  hours.  Personnel 
Adjutants  will  cooperate  in  arranging  the  schedule  of  psychological  examinatioms 


APPENDIX  A 


289 


so  as  to  secure  from  them  maximum  value  (See  Chapter  IV  for  the  proper 
coordination  of  the  work  of  the  Psychological  Examiner  with  the  work  of  other 
officers  in  a camp.) 

Explanation  of  letter  ratings. — The  rating  a man  earns  furnishes  a fairly  reliable 
index  of  his  ability  to  learn,  to  think  quickly  and  accurately,  to  analyze  a situation, 
to  maintain  a state  of  mental  alertness,  and  to  comprehend  and  follow  instructions. 
The  score  is  little  influenced  by  schooling.  Some  of  the  highest  records  have 
been  made  by  men  who  had  never  completed  the  eighth  grade.  The  meaning 
of  the  letter  ratings  is  as  follows: 

A.  Very  Superior  Intelligence.  This  grade  is  earned  by  only  four  or  five 
soldiers  out  of  a hundred.  The  “A”  group  is  composed  of  men  of  marked  intel- 
lectuality. “A”  men  are  of  high  officer  type  when  they  are  also  endowed  with 
leadership  and  other  necessary  qualities. 

B.  Superior  Intelligence.  “B”  intelligence  is  superior,  but  less  exceptional 
than  that  represented  by  “A.”  The  rating  “B”  is  obtained  by  eight  to  ten 
soldiers  out  of  a hundred.  The  group  contains  a good  many  men  of  the  commis- 
sioned officer  type  and  a large  amount  of  non-commissioned  officer  material. 

C+.  High  Average  Intelligence.  This  group  includes  about  fifteen  to  eighteen 
per  cent,  of  all  soldiers  and  contains  a large  amount  of  non-commissioned  officer 
material  with  occasionally  a man  whose  leadership  and  power  to  command  fit 
him  for  commissioned  rank. 

C.  Average  Intelligence.  Includes  about  twenty-five  per  cent,  of  soldiers. 
Excellent  private  type  with  a certain  amount  of  fair  non-commissioned  officer 
material. 

C — . Low  Average  Intelligence.  Includes  about[twenty  per  cent.  While  below 
average  in  intelligence,  “C — ” men  are  usually  good  privates  and  satisfactory 
in  work  of  routine  nature. 

D.  Inferior  Intelligence.  Includes  about  fifteen  per  cent,  of  soldiers.  “D” 
men  are  likely  to  be  fair  soldiers,  but  are  usually  slow  in  learning  and  rarely  go 
above  the  rank  of  private.  They  are  short  on  initiative  and  so  require  more 
than  the  usual  amount  of  supervision.  Many  of  them  are  illiterate  or  foreign. 

D — and  E.  Very  Inferior  Intelligence.  This  group  is  divided  into  two 
classes  (1)  “D — ” men,  who  are  very  inferior  in  intelligence  but  are  considered 
fit  for  regular  service;  and  (2)  “E”  men,  those  whose  mental  inferiority  justifies 
their  recommendation  for  Development  Battalion,  Special  Service  Organization, 
rejection,  or  discharge.  The  majority  of  “D — ” and  “E”  men  are  below  ten 
years  in  “mental  age.” 

The  immense  contrast  between  “A”  and  “D — ” intelligence  is  shown  by  the 
fact  that  men  of  “A”  intelligence  have  the  ability  to  make  a superior  record  in  col- 
lege or  university,  while  “D — ” men  are  of  such  inferior  mentality  that  they  are 


290 


APPENDIX  A 


rarely  able  to  go  beyond  the  third  or  fourth  grade  of  the  elementary  school,  how- 
ever long  they  attend.  In  fact,  most  “D — ” and  “E’  men  are  below  the  “ mental 
age”  of  ten  years  and  at  best  are  on  the  border-line  of  mental  deficiency.  Most 
of  them  are  of  the  “ moron  ” grade  of  feeble-mindedness.  “B”  intelligence  is  capa- 
ble of  making  an  average  record  in  college,  “C-f-”  intelligence  cannot  do  so 
well,  while  mentality  of  the  “C”  grade  is  rarely  equal  to  high  school  graduation. 

Evidence  that  the  Tests  Measure  Military  Value. — It  has  been  thoroughly 
demonstrated  that  the  intelligence  ratings  are  very  useful  in  indicating  practical 
military  value.  The  following  investigations  are  typical: 

1.  Commanding  officers  of  ten  different  organizations  representing  various 
arms  in  a camp  were  asked  to  designate: 

(o)  The  most  efficient  men  in  the  organization; 

(6)  Men  of  average  value; 

(c)  Men  so  inferior  that  they  were  “barely  able”  to  perform  their  duties. 

The  officers  of  these  organizations  had  been  with  their  men  from  six  to  twelve 
months  and  knew  them  exceptionally  well.  The  total  number  of  men  rated  was 
965,  about  equally  divided  among  “best,”  “average,”  and  “poorest.”  After 
the  officers’  ratings  had  been  made,  the  men  were  given  the  usual  psychological 
test.  Comparison  of  test  results  with  officers’  ratings  showed: 

(а)  That  the  average  score  of  the  “best”  group  was  approximately  twice  as 

high  as  the  average  score  of  the  “poorest”  group. 

(б)  That  of  men  testing  below  “C — ” 70  per  cent,  were  classed  as  “poorest” 

and  only  4.4  per  cent,  as  “best.” 

(c)  That  of  men  testing  above  “C+,”  15  per  cent,  were  classed  as  “poorest” 

and  55.5  per  cent,  as  “best.” 

(d)  That  the  man  who  tests  above  “C+”  is  about  fourteen  times  as  likely  to 

be  classed  “best”  as  the  man  who  tests  below  “C — .” 

(e)  That  the  per  cent,  classed  as  “best”  in  the  various  letter  groups  increased 

steadily  from  0 percent,  in  “D — ” to  57.7  per  cent,  in  “A,”  while  the  per 
cent,  classed  as“ poorest”  decreased  steadily  from  80  per  cent,  in  “D — ” 
to  11.5  per  cent,  in  “A.”  The  following  table  shows  the  per  cents,  for 
each  letter  group: 


D— 

D 

C— 

C 

c+ 

B 

A 

Total  number 

29 

60 

121 

231 

229 

191 

104 

Classed  with  “best”  . 

0.0% 

6.7% 

19.0% 

26.0% 

39.3% 

63.4% 

57.7% 

Classed  with  “poorest”  . 

79.3% 

65.0% 

67.9% 

31.2% 

24.9% 

16.7% 

11.5% 

Considering  that  low  military  value  may  be  caused  by  many  things  besides 
inferior  intelligence,  the  above  findings  are  very  significant. 

2.  In  an  infantry  regiment  of  another  camp  were  765  men  (Regulars)  who  had 


APPENDIX  A 


291 


been  with  their  ofiBcers  for  several  months.  The  company  commanders  were 
asked  to  rate  these  men  as  1,  2,  3,  4,  or  5 according  to  “practical  soldier  value,” 
“ 1 ” being  highest,  and  “ 5 ” lowest.  The  men  were  then  tested,  with  the  follow- 
ing results; 

(а)  Of  76  men  who  earned  the  grade  A or  B,  none  was  rated  “5”  and  only  9 

were  rated  “3”  or  “4.” 

(б)  Of  238  “D”  and  “D — ” men,  only  one  received  the  rating  “1”  and  only 

7 received  a rating  of  “2.” 

(c)  Psychological  ratings  and  ratings  by  company  commanders  were  identical 
in  49.5  per  cent,  of  all  cases.  There  was  agreement  within  one  step  in 
88.4  per  cent,  of  cases,  and  disagreement  of  more  than  two  steps  in  only 
of  1 per  cent,  of  cases. 

3.  In  another  camp  the  company  officers  of  a regiment  were  asked  to  designate 
the  ten  “best”  and  ten  “poorest”  privates  in  each  company.  The  officers  had 
been  with  their  men  long  enough  to  know  them  thoroughly.  Comparison  of 
the  officers’  estimates  with  the  results  of  intelligence  tests  brought  out  the  follow- 
ing facts: 

(o)  Of  156  men  classed  with  the  ten  “best”  in  their  respective  companies, 
only  9 tested  below  C — . 

(6)  Of  133  men  classed  with  the  “poorest”  ten  in  their  respective  companies, 
only  4 tested  above  C+. 

(c)  Men  above  C+  are  7.3  times  as  likely  as  men  below  C — to  be  classed  with 

the  ten  “best.” 

(d)  Men  below  C — are  10.8  times  as  likely  as  men  above  C+  to  be  classed 

with  the  ten  “poorest.” 

(e)  An  “A”  man  is  11.7  times  as  likely  as  a man  below  C — to  be  rated  “best”; 

but  a man  below  C — is  13.5  times  as  likely  as  an  “A”  to  be  rated 
“poorest.” 

4.  The  same  experiment  was  made  in  still  another  camp.  Officers  of  36  differ- 
ent companies  picked  the  ten  “best”  and  the  ten  “poorest”  men  in  each  com- 
pany. Of  the  “poorest,”  62.22  per  cent,  tested  below.C — and  only  3.06  per  cent, 
above  C+.  Of  the  “best,”  38  per  cent,  tested  above  C+  and  only  9.72  per  cent, 
below  C — . According  to  this  investigation,  a man  below  C — is  6.4  times  as 
likely  to  be  “poorest”  as  to  be  “best.”  A man  above  C-t"  is  12.5  times  as 
likely  to  be  “best”  as  to  be  “poorest.”  A man  rating  A is  62  times  as  likely  to 
be  “best”  as  to  be  “poorest.”  A man  rating  D — is  29.3  times  as  likely  to  be 
“poorest”  as  to  be  “best.” 

5.  Where  commissioned  officers  are  selected  on  the  basis  of  trying  out  and 
“survival  of  the  fittest”  it  is  ordinarily  found  that  about  80  per  cent,  are  of 
the  A or  B grade,  and  only  about  5 per  cent,  below  the  C-f-  grade.  Of  non- 
commissioned officers  chosen  by  this  method,  about  75  per  cent,  are  found  to 


292 


APPENDIX  A 


grade  A,  B,  or  C+»  and  only  5 per  cent  below  C.  Moreover,  there  is  a gradual 
rise  in  average  score  as  we  go  from  privates  up  through  the  ranks  of  privates 
first  class,  corporals,  sergeants  first  class,  O.  T.  S.  candidates,  and  commis- 
sioned oflacers.  This  is  seen  in  the  following  table: 


PEB  CENT.  : 

EABNING 

EACH  LETTER  BATING 

Various  Groups  (Whites)  . 

D — orE 

D 

C— 

c 

c+ 

B 

A 

A and  B 

8,819CommissionedOfficers 

0.0 

0.01 

.25 

2.92 

13.8 

34.6 

48.4 

83. 

9,240  0.  T.  S.  Candidates . 

0.0 

0.14 

.98 

6.16 

19.5 

36.4 

36.8 

73.2 

3,393  Sergeants 

0.0 

1.05 

4.05 

14.2 

27.3 

32.5 

20.9 

53.4 

4,023  Corporals 

0.0 

1.33 

7.33 

20.33 

31.3 

26 

13.7 

39.7 

81,114  Literate  Privates  . 

0.22 

10.24 

21.48 

28.79 

20.48 

12.38 

6.37 

18.75 

10,803  Illiterate  Privates  . 

7.8 

41.16 

29.11 

14.67 

4.43 

1.95 

.52 

2.47 

6.  Experience  shows  that  “D”  candidates  admitted  to  OflBcers’  Training 
Schools  almost  never  make  good,  and  that  the  per  cent,  of  elimination  among  the 
“C — ” and  “C”  students  is  several  times  as  high  as  among  “A”  students. 
For  example,  in  one  of  the  Fourth  OflScers’  Training  Schools  100  per  cent,  of  the 
“D”  men  were  eliminated  as  unsatisfactory,  55  per  cent,  of  the  “C — ” men, 
14.8  per  cent,  of  the  “B”  men,  but  only  2.7  per  cent,  of  the  “A”  men.  In  an- 
other Fourth  Officers’  Training  School  76.2  per  cent,  of  the  men  rating  below 
C were  eliminated  in  the  first  six  weeks,  51.5  per  cent,  of  the  “C”  men,  and 
none  at  all  of  the  “A”  or  “B”  men.  These  findings  are  typical. 

The  psychological  ratings  are  valuable  not  so  much  because  they  make  a 
better  classification  than  would  come  about  in  the  course  of  time  through  natural 
selection,  but  chiefly  because  they  greatly  abbreviate  this  process  by  indicating 
immediately  the  groups  in  which  suitable  officer  material  will  be  found,  and  at 
the  same  time  those  men  whose  mental  inferiority  warrants  their  elimination 
from  regular  units  in  order  to  prevent  the  retardation  of  training.  Speed  counts 
in  a war  that  costs  fifty  million  dollars  per  day  and  requires  the  minimum  period 
of  training. 

Directions  for  the  Use  of  Intelligence  Ratings. — In  using  the  intelligence  ratings 
the  following  points  should  be  borne  in  mind: 

1.  The  mental  tests  are  not  intended  to  replace  other  methods  of  judging  a 
man’s  value  to  the  service.  It  would  be  a mistake  to  assume  that  they  tell  us 
infallibly  what  kind  of  soldier  a man  will  make.  They  merely  help  to  do  this 
by  measuring  one  important  element  in  a soldier’s  equipment,  namely,  intelli- 
gence. They  do  not  measure  loyalty,  bravery,  power  to  command,  or  the  emo' 
tional  traits  that  make  a man  “carry  on.”  However,  in  the  long  run  these 
qualities  are  far  more  likely  to  be  found  in  men  of  superior  intelligence  than  in 
men  who  are  intellectually  inferior.  Intelligence  is  perhaps  the  most  import- 
ant single  factor  in  soldier  efficiency  apart  from  physical  fitness. 


APPENDIX  A 


293 


2.  Commissioned  oflicer  material  is  found  chiefly  in  the  A and  B groups,  al- 
though of  course  not  all  high-score  men  have  the  other  qualifications  necessary 
for  officers . Men  below  C+  should  not  be  accepted  as  students  in  Officers’ 
Training  Schools  unless  the  score  on  the  Officers’  Rating  Scale  indicates  excep- 
tional power  of  leadership  and  ability  to  command. 

3.  Since  more  than  one  fourth  of  enlisted  men  rate  as  high  as  C-f-,  there  is 
rarely  justification  for  going  below  this  grade  in  closing  non-commissioned 
officers.  This  is  especially  the  case  in  view  of  the  likelihood  of  promotion  from 
non-commissioned  rank.  Even  apart  from  considerations  of  promotion,  it  is 
desirable  to  avoid  the  appointment  of  mentally  inferior  men  (below  C)  as  non- 
commissioned officers.  Several  careful  studies  have  shown  that  “C — ” and 
“D”  sergeants  and  corporals  are  extremely  likely  to  be  found  unsatisfactory* 
The  fact  that  a few  make  good  does  not  justify  the  risk  taken  in  their  appoint- 
ment. 

4.  Men  below  C-b  are  rarely  equal  to  complicated  paper  work. 

5.  In  selecting  men  for  tasks  of  special  responsibility  the  preference  should  be 
given  to  those  of  highest  intelligence  rating  who  also  have  the  other  necessary 
qualifications.  If  they  make  good  they  should  be  kept  on  the  work  or  promoted; 
if  they  fail  they  should  be  replaced  by  men  next  on  the  list. 

To  aid  in  selecting  men  for  occupational  assignment,  extensive  data  have  been 
gathered  on  the  range  of  intelligence  scores  found  in  various  occupations.  This 
material  has  been  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Personnel  Officers  for  use  in  making 
assignments.  It  is  suggested  that  those  men  who  have  an  intelligence  rating 
above  the  average  in  an  occupation  should  be  the  first  to  be  assigned  to  meet 
requirements  in  that  occupation,  and  after  that  men  with  lower  ratings  should 
be  considered. 

6.  In  making  assignments  from  the  Depot  Brigade  to  permanent  organiza- 
tions it  is  important  to  give  each  unit  its  proportion  of  superior,  average,  and 
inferior  men.  If  this  matter  is  left  to  chance  there  will  inevitably  be  “weak 
links”  in  the  army  chain. 

Exceptions  to  this  rule  should  be  made  in  favour  of  certain  arms  of  the  service 
which  require  more  than  the  ordinary  number  of  mentally  superior  men;  e.  g.. 
Signal  Corps,  Machine  Gun,  Field  Artillery  and  Engineers.  These  organiza- 
tions ordinarily  have  about  twice  the  usual  proportion  of  “A”  and  “B”  men 
and  very  much  less  than  the  usual  proportion  of  “D”  and  “D — ” men. 

The  first  two  columns  in  the  following  table  illustrate  the  distribution  of  in- 
telligence grades  typical  of  infantry  regiments  and  also  the  extreme  differences 
in  the  mental  strength  of  organizations  which  are  built  up  without  regard  to 


294 


APPENDIX  A 


intelligence  ratings.  The  last  column  to  the  right  shows  a balanced  distribution 
of  intellectual  strength  which  might  have  been  made  to  each  of  these  two  regi- 
ments. 


Intelligence 

Actdal  Distribution 

Balanced 

Rating 

Interpretation 

1st  Regiment 

2d  Regiment 

Distribution 

A 

Very  Superior 

1.0% 

6.0% 

3.5% 

B 

Superior 

3.0 

12.0 

7,6 

C4- 

High  Average 

7.0 

20.0 

13.5 

C 

Average 

15.0 

28.0 

21.5 

c— 

Low  Average 

25,0 

19.0 

22.0 

D 

Inferior 

31.0 

13.0 

22.0 

D— 

Very  Inferior 

18.0 

2.0 

10.0 

Unless  intelligence  is  wisely  distributed  certain  regiments  and  companies  will 
take  training  much  more  slowly  than  others  and  thus  delay  the  programme  of  the 
whole  organization. 


7.  “D”  and  “D — ” men  are  rarely  suited  for  tasks  which  require  special  skill, 
resourcefulness,  or  sustained  alertness.  It  is  also  unsafe  to  expect  “D,”  “D — ” 
or  “E”  men  to  read  or  understand  written  directions. 

8.  Only  high-score  men  should  be  selected  for  tasks  that  require  quick  learning 
or  rapid  adjustments. 

9.  It  should  not  be  supposed  that  men  who  receive  the  same  mental  rating 
are  necessarily  of  equal  military  worth.  A mans  value  to  the  service  should  not 
he  judged  hy  his  intelligence  alone. 

10.  The  intelligence  rating  is  one  of  the  most  important  aids  to  the  Personnel 
Office  in  the  rapid  sorting  of  the  masses  of  men  in  the  Depot  Brigade.  In  no 
previous  war  has  so  much  depended  on  the  prompt  and  complete  utilization  of  the 
mental  ability  of  the  individual  soldier.  It  is  expected,  therefore,  that  the  psy- 
chological ratings  will  be  regularly  used  as  an  aid  in  the  selection,  assignment, 
and  classification  of  men. 


APPENDIX  B 


The  Army  “Alpha”  and  “Beta”  Tests 
With  Instructions  and  Method  of  Scoring 

Instructions  for  giving  Alpha  Test  1.  (To  be  read  aloud  by  Examiner.) 

Test  1,  Form  8. 

1.  “Attention!  ‘Attention’ always  means ‘Pencils  up.’  Look  at  the  circles 
at  1.  When  I say  ‘go,’  but  not  before,  make  a figure  2 in  the  second  circle  and 
also  a cross  in  the  third  circle. — Go!”  (Allow  not  over  5 seconds.) 

2.  “Attention!  Look  at  2,  where  the  circles  have  numbers  in  them.  When 
I say  ‘ go  ’ draw  a line  from  Circle  1 to  Circle  4 that  will  pass  below  Circle  2 and 
above  Circle  3. — Go!”  (Allow  not  over  5 seconds.) 

3.  “Attention!  Look  at  the  square  and  triangle  at  3.  When  I say ‘go’ make 
a figure  1 in  the  space  which  is  in  the  square  but  not  in  the  triangle,  and  also  make 
a cross  in  the  space  which  is  in  the  triangle  and  in  the  square. — Go!”  (Allow 
not  over  10  seconds.) 

4.  “Attention!  Look  at  4.  When  I say  ‘go’  make  a figure  2 in  the  space 
which  is  in  the  circle  but  not  in  the  triangle  or  square,  and  also  make  a figure  3 
in  the  space  which  is  in  the  triangle  and  circle,  but  not  in  the  square. — Go!” 
(Allow  not  over  10  seconds.) 

N.  B.  Examiner. — In  reading  5,  don’t  pause  at  the  word  “circle”  as  if  ending 
a sentence. 

5.  “Attention!  Look  at  5.  If  ‘taps’  sounds  in  the  evening,  then  (when  I say 
‘go’)  put  a cross  in  the  first  circle;  if  not,  draw  a line  under  the  word  No. — Go!” 
(Allow  not  over  ten  seconds.) 

6.  “Attention!  Look  at  6.  When  I say  ‘go’  put  in  the  first  circle  the 
right  answer  to  the  question;  ‘How  many  months  has  a year?’  In  the  second 
circle  do  nothing,  but  in  the  fifth  circle  put  any  number  that  is  wrong  answer  to 
the  question  that  you  just  answered  correctly — Go!”  (Allow  not  over  10 
seconds.) 


295 


FORM  8 GROUP  EXAMIMATION  ALKIA  GROUP  NO ■ 

Name — Rank Age 

Company Regiment.. Ann. Division .. 

In  what  country  or  state  bom? Years  in  U.  S.? Race 

Occupation Weekly  Wages 

Schooling:  Grades,  1.  2.  3.  4.  5.  6.  7.  8:  High  or  Prep.  School,  Year  1.  2.  3.  4:  College,  Year  1.  2.  3. 4. 


TESTl 

1.  ooooo 

2.  ©0©®©©©®© 


6.  O O O 

6.  ooooo 

7.  ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP 

8.  O O O military  gun  camp 

9.  34-79-56^7-68-25-82-47-27-31-64-93-71-41^52-99 


12.  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 

DivisSon  <rf  Psychology,  Medical  Depaftment  U.  S.  A. 

Authorized  by  the  Surgeoo  Oeoeral,  Feb.  8, 1918,  Editioo,  May  20, 1918,  100,000 


296 


APPENDIX  B 


297 


7.  “Attention!  Look  at  7.  When  I say ‘go’ cro«5  the  letter  just  after  F 
and  also  draw  a line  under  the  second  letter  after  I. — Go!”  (Allow  not  over  10 
seconds.) 

8.  “Attention!  Look  at  8.  Notice  the  three  circles  and  the  three  words. 
When  I say  ‘go’  make  in  the  first  circle  the  last  letter  oi  first  word;  in  the  second 
circle  the  middle  letter  of  the  second  word,  and  in  the  third  circle  the  first  letter 
of  the  third  word. — Go!”  (Allow  not  over  10  seconds.) 

9.  “Attention!  Look  at  9.  When  I say  ‘go’  cross  out  each  number  that  is 
more  than  50  but  less  than  60. — Go!”  (Allow  not  over  15  seconds.) 

10.  “Attention!  Look  at  10.  Notice  that  the  drawing  is  divided  into  five 
parts.  When  I say  ‘go’  put  a 4 or  a 5 in  each  of  the  two  largest  parts  and  any 
number  between  6 and  9 in  the  part  next  in  size  to  the  smallest  part. — Go!” 
(Allow  not  over  15  seconds.) 

11.  “Attention!  Look  at  11.  When  I say  ‘go’  draw  a line  through  every 
odd  number  that  is  not  in  a square,  and  also  through  every  odd  number  that  is 
in  a square  with  a letter. — Go!”  (Allow  not  over  25  seconds.) 

12.  “Attention!  Look  at  12.  if  4 is  more  than  2,  then  (when  I say  ‘go’) 
cross  out  the  number  3 unless  3 is  more  than  5,  in  which  case  draw  a line  under 
the  number  4. — Go!”  (Allow  not  over  10  seconds.) 

“During  the  rest  of  this  examination  don’t  turn  any  page  forward  or  back- 
ward imless  you  are  told  to.  Now  turn  over  the  page  to  Test  2.” 

Instructions  for  Giving  Alpha  Test  2. 

Test  2. — Arithmetical  Problems 

“Attention!  Look  at  the  directions  at  the  top  of  the  page  while  I read  them. 
Get  the  answers  to  these  examples  as  quickly  as  you  can.  Use  the  side  of  this 
page  to  figure  on  if  you  need  to.  I will  say  stop  at  the  end  of  five  minutes. 
You  may  not  be  able  to  finish  all  of  them,  but  do  as  many  as  you  can  in  the  time 
allowed.  The  two  samples  are  already  answered  correctly. — Ready — Go!” 
After  5 minutes,  say  “Stop!  Turn  over  the  page  to  Test  3.” 

Instructions  for  Giving  Alpha  Test  3. 

Test  3. — Practical  Judgment 

“Attention!  Look  at  the  directions  at  the  top  of  the  page  while  I read  them. 
‘This  is  a test  of  common  sense.  Below  are  sixteen  questions.  Three  answers 


TEST  2 

Get  the  answers  to  these  examples  as  quickly  as  you  can. 
Use  the  side  of  this  page  to  figure  on  if  you  need  to. 


!1  How  many  are  6 men  and  10  men? Answer  ( 15 

2  If  you  walk  4 miles  an  hour  for  3 hours,  how  far 

do  you  walk? . Answer  ( 12 

1 How  many  are  60  guns  and  5 guns? Answer  ( 

2 If  you  save  $9  a month  for  3 months,  how  much  will  you 

save? Answer  ( 

3  If  48  men  are  divided  into  squads  of  8,  how  many  squads  will 

there  be? Answer  ( 

4  Mike  had  11  cigars.  He  bought  2 more  and  then  smoked  7. 

How  many  cigars  did  he  have  left?  Answer  ( 

5  A company  advanced  8 miles  and  retreated  2 miles.  How  far 
was  it  then  from  its  fiirst  position? Answer  ( 

6 How  many  hours  will  it  take  a truck  to  go  42  miles  at  the  rate 

of  3 miles  an  hour?  Answer  ( 

7 How  many  pencils  can  you  buy  for  60  cents  at  the  rate  of  2 

for  5 cents? Answer  ( 

8 A regiment  marched  40  miles  in  five  days.  The  first  day  they 

marched  9 miles,  the  second  day  6 miles,  the  third  10  miles,  the 
fourth  6 miles.  How  many  miles  did  they  march  the  last 

day? Answer  ( ^ 

9  If  you  buy  2 packages  of  tobacco  at  8 cents  each  and  a pipe  for 
65  cents,  how  much  change  should  you  get  from  a two-doUar 

bill?  Answer  ( 

10  If  it  takes  4 men  3 days  to  dig  a 1 20-foot  drain,  how  many  men 

are  needed  to  dig  it  in  half  a day? Answer  ( 

11  A dealer  bought  some  mules  for  $2,000.  He  sold  them  for 
$2,400,  making  $50  on  each  mule.  How  many  mules  were 

thfere?  Answer  ( 

12  A rectangular  bin  holds  200  cubic  feet  of  lime.  If  the  bin  is 

10  feet  long  and  5 feet  w’ide,  how  deep  is  it? Answer  ( 

13  A recruit  spent  one-eighth  of  his  spare  change  for  post  cards 
and  twice  as  much  for  a box  of  letter  paper,  and  then,  had  $1.00 

left.  How  much  money  did  he  have  at  first? Answer  ( 

14  If  3H  tons  of  clover  cost  $14,  what  win  6 tons  cost? . . Answer  ( 

15  A sWp  has  provisions  to  last  her  crew  of  700  men  2 months. 

How  long  would  it  last  400  men? .Answer  ( 

16  If  an  aeroplane  goes  250  yards  in  10  seconds,  how  many  feet 

does  it  go  in  a fifth  of  a second? ■ Answer  ( 

17  A U-boat  makes  8 miles  an  hour  imder  water  and  20  miles  on 
the  surface.  How  long  will  it  take  to  cross  a lOO-mile  chan- 
nel, if  it  has  to  go  two-fifths  of  the  way  under  water?.  .Answer  ( 

18  If  134  squads  of  men  are  to  dig  3,618  yards  of  trench,  how 

many  yards  must  be  dug  by  each  squad? ^ Answer  ( 

19  A certain  division  contains  5,000  artillery,  15,000  infantry,  and 
1,000  cavalry.  If  each  branch  is  expanded  proportionately 
until  there  are  in  all  23,100  men,  how  many  will  be  added  to  the 

artillery? Answer  ( 

20  A commission  house  which  had  already  supplied  1,897  barrels 
of  apples  to  a cantonment  delivered  the  remainder  of  its  stock 
to  37  mess  halls.  Of  this  remainder  each  mess  hall  received  54 
barrels.  What  was  the  total  number  of  barrels  supplied? . Answer  ( 


298 


TEST  3 


TTiie  is  s test  of  conunon  sense.  Below  are  sixteen  questions.  Three  answers  are  given  to  each 
question.  You  are  to  look  at  the  answers  carefully;  then  make, a cross  in  the  square  before  the  best 
answer  to  each  Question,  as  in  the  sample: 


SAMPLE 


Why  do  we  use  stoves? 

□ they  look  well 

0 they  keep  us  warm 

□ they  are  black 


Because 


Here  the  second  answer  is  the  best  one  and  is  marked  with  a cross.  Begin  with  No.  1 and  keep 
on  until  time  is  called. 


1 It  is  wiser  to  put  some  money  aside  and  not 
spend  it  all,  so  that  you  may 

□ prepare  for  old  age  or  sickness 

□ collect  all  the  different  kinds  of  money 

□ gamble  when  you  wish 

2 Shoes  are  made  of  leathef,  because 

□ it  is  tanned 

□ it  is  tough,  pliable  and  warm 

□ it  can  be  blackened 

3 Why  do  soldiers  wear  wrist  watches  rather 
than  pocket  watches?  Because 

□ they  keep  better  time 

□ they  are  harder  to  break 

□ they  are  handier 

4 The  main  reason  why  stone  is  used  for  building 
purposes  is  because 

□ it  makes  a good  appearance 

□ it  is  strong  and  lasting 

□ it  is  heavy 

6  Why  is  beef  better  food  than  cabbaee? 
Because 

□ it  tastes  better 

□ it  is  more  nourishing 

□ it  is  harder  to  obtain 

6 If  some  one  does  you  a favor,  what  should  you 
do? 

□ try  to  forget  it 

□ steal  for  him  if  he  asks  you  to 

□ return  the  favor 

7 If  you  do  not  get  a letter  from  home  which  you 
know  was  written,  it  may  be  because 

it  was  lost  in  the  mails 
P you  forgot  to  tell  your  people  to  write 
Q the  postal  service  has  been  discontinued 

8 The  main  thing  the  farmers  do  is  to 

□ supply  luxuries 

□ make  work  for  the  unen^ployed 

□ feed  the  nation 

Go  to  No.  9 above 


9  If  a man  who  can’t  swim  should  fall  into  a 
river,  he  should 

□ yell  for  help  and  try  to  scramble  out 

□ dive  to  the  bottom  and  crawl  out 

□ lie  on  his  back  and  float 

10  Glass  insulators  are  used  to  fasten  telegraph 
wires  because 

□ the  glass  keeps  the  pole  from  being  burned 

□ the  glass  keeps  the  current  from  escaping 

□ the  glass  is  cheap  and  attractive 

11  If  your  load  of  coal  gets  stuck  in  the  mud, 
what  should  you  do? 

□ leave  it  there 

□ get  more  horses  or  men  to  pull  it  out 

□ throw  off  the  load 

12  Why  are  criminals  locked  up? 

□ to  protect  society 

□ to  get  even  with  them 

□ to  make  them  work 

13  Why  should  a married  man  have  his  life  in- 
sured? Because 

□ death  may  come  at  any  time 

□ insurance  companies  are  usually  honest 

□ his  family  will  not  then  suffer  if  he  dies 

14  In  Leap  Year  February  has  29  days  because 

□ February  is  a short  month 

□ some  people  are.  born  on  February  29th 

□ otherwise  the  calendar  would  not'  come 
out  right 

1^  If  you  are  held  up  and  robbed  in  a strange  city, 
you  should 

□ apply  to  the  police  for  help 

□ ask  the  first  man  you  meet  for  money  to 
get  home 

□ borrow  some  money  at  a bank 

16  Why  should  we  have  Congressmen?  Because 

□ the  people  must  be  ruled 

□ it  insures  truly  representative  government 

□ the  people  are  too  many  to  meet  and  make 
their  laws 


299 


300 


APPENDIX  B 


are  given  to  each  question.  You  are  to  look  at  the  answers  carefully;  then  make 
a cross  in  the  square  before  the  best  answer  to  each  question,  as  in  the  sample: 
‘Why  do  we  use  stoves?  Because 
□ they  look  well 
Q they  keep  us  warm 
Q they  are  black 

“ ' Here  the  second  answer  is  the  best  one  and  is  marked  with  a cross. 

“‘Begin  with  No.  1 and  keep  on  until  time  is  called.’ — Ready — Go!”  After 
1|  minutes,  say  “Stop!  Turn  over  the  page  to  Test  4.” 

Instructions  for  Giving  Alpha  Test 

Test  4. — Synonym — Antonym 

“Attention!  Look  at  the  directions  at  the  top  of  the  page  while  I read  them.” 
(Examiner. — Read  slowly.) 

“ ‘If  the  two  words  of  a pair  mean  the  same  or  nearly  the  same  draw  a line 
under  “same.”  If  they  mean  the  opposite  or  nearly  the  opposite,  draw  a line  under 
“opposite.”  If  you  cannot  be  sure,  guess.  The  two  samples  are  already  marked 
as  they  should  be.’ — Ready — Go!  ” 

After  1^  minutes,  say  “Stop!  Turn  over  the  page  to  Test  5.”  (Pause.) 
“Now  you  have  to  turn  your  books  around  this  way.”  (Examiner  illustrates 
the  necessary  rotation.) 

Instructions  for  Giving  Alpha  Test  5. 

Test  5 — Disarranged  Sentences 

“Attention!  Look  at  the  directions  at  the  top  of  the  page  while  I read 
them.”  (Examiner. — Read  slowly.) 

“ The  words  a eats  cow  grass  in  that  order  are  mixed  up  and  don’t  make  a 
sentence;  but  they  would  make  a sentence  if  put  in  the  right  order:  a cow  eats 
grass,  and  this  statement  is  true. 

“Again,  the  words  horses  feathers  have  all  would  make  a sentence  if  put  in  the 
order  all  horses  have  feathers,  but  this  statement  is  false. 

“Below  are  24  mixed-up  sentences.  Some  of  them  are  true  and  some  are 
false.  When  I say ‘go,’ take  these  sentences  one  at  a time.  Think  what  each 
would  say  if  the  words  were  straightened  out,  but  don’t  write  them  yourself. 
Then,  if  what  it  would  say  is  true  draw  a line  under  the  word  ‘true’;  if  what  it 
would  say  is  false,  draw  a line  under  the  word  ‘false.’  If  you  cannot  be  sure, 
guess.  The  two  samples  are  already  marked  as  they  should  be.  Begin  with 
No.  1 and  work  right  down  the  page  until  time  is  called.  ‘Ready — Go!*  ** 

After  2 minutes,  say  “Stop!  Turn  over  the  page  to  Test  6.” 


TEST  4 


If  the  two  words  of  a pair  mean  the  same  or  nearly  the  same,  draw  a 
line  under  same.  If  they  mean  the  opposite  or  nearly  the  opposite,  draw  a 
line  under  qpposite.  If  you  cannot  be  sure,  guess.  The  two  samples  are 
already  marked  as  they  should  be 


{good — bad same — opposite 

little — small same — opposite 

1 no — yes same-ropposite  1 

2 day — night .... same — opposite  2 

3 go — leave same — opposite  3 

4 begin — commence same — opposite  4 

5 bitter — sweet same — opposite  5 

6 assume — suppose same — opposite  6 

7 conimand — obey same — opposite  7 

8 tease — plaghe same — opposite  8 

.9  diligent — industrious same — opposite  9 

10  corrupt — honest . same — opposite  10 

11  toward — from same — opposite  11 

12  masculine — feminine same — opposite  12 

13  complex — simple same — opposite  13 

14  sacred — hallowed same — opposite  14 

15  often — seldom  same — opposite  15 

10  ancient — modem same — opposite  dlS 

17  enormous — gigantic same — opposite  17 

18  confer — grant same — opposite  18 

19  acquire — lose ; . . same — opposite  19 

20  compute — calculate.. same — opposite  20 

21  defiler-purify same — opposite  21 

22  apprehensive — ^fearful, same— opposite  22 

23  sterile — fertile same — opposite  23 

24  chasm — abyss same — opposite  24 

25  somber — gloomy same — opposite  25 

26  vestige — trace same — opposite  26 

27  vilify — praise same — opposite  27 

28  finite — limited same — opposite  28 

29  contradict — corroborate same — opposite  29 

30  immune — susceptible same — opposite  30 

31  credit — debit same — opposite  31 

32  assiduous — diligent same — opposite  32 

33  transient — permanent same — opposite  33 

34  palliate — mitigate same — opposite  34 

35  execrate — revile same — opposite  35 

36  extinct — extant same — opposite  36 

37  pertinent — relevant .'^me — opposite  37 

38  synchronous — simultaneous . . . . same — opposite  38 

39  supercilious-7-disdainful .same — opposite  39 

40  abstruse — recondite  same — opposite  40 


SOI 


TEST  5 


The  words  A EATS  COW  GRASS  in  that  order  are  mixed  up  and 
don't  make  a sentence;  but  they  would  make  a sentence  if  put  in  the 
right  order:  A COW  EATS  GRASS,  and  this  statement  is  true. 

Again,  the  words  HORSES  FEATHERS  HAVE  ALL  would  make 
a sentence  if  put  in  the  order : ALL  HORSES  HAVE  FEATHERS, 
but  this  statement  is  false. 

Below  are  twenty-four  mixed-up  sentences.  Some  of  them  are  true 
and  some  are  false.  When  I say  “go,”  take  these  sentences  one  at  a 
time.  Think  what  each  would  say  if  the  words  were  straightened  out, 
but  don’t  write  them  yourself.  Then,  if  what  it  would  say  is  true,  draw 
a line  under  the  word  “true” ; if  what  it  would  say  is  false,  draw  a line 
imder  the  word  “false.”  If  you  can  not  be  sure,  guess.  The  two 
samples  are  already  marked  as  they  should  be.  Begin  with  No.  1 
and  work  right  down  the  page  until  time  is  called. 


f a eats  cow  grass true,  .false 

SAMPLES  { , , V 11  T , 

(.  horses  feathers  have  all true. . false 

1 . oranges  yellow  are true . . false  1 

2 hear  are  with  to  ears true . . false  2 

3 noise  cannon  never  make  a true . . false  3 

4 trees  in  nests  build  birds true . . false  4 

5 oil  water  not  and  will  mix true . . false  5 

^ bad  are  shots  soldiers  all true,  .false  6 

7 fuel  wood  are  coal  and  for  used true . . false  7 

8 moon  earth  the  only  from  feet  twenty  the  is ... . true . . false  8 

9 to  life  water  is  necessary true . . false  9 

10  are  clothes  all  made  cotton  of true.,  false  10 

11  hdrses  automobile  an  are  than  slower true. . false  11 

12  tropics  is  in  the  produced  rubber true,  .false  12^ 

13  leaves  the  trees  in  lose  their  fall .true,  .false  13 

14  place  pole  is  north  comfortable  a the true.,  false  14 

15 . sand  of  made  bread  powder  and  is true,  .false  15 

16  sails  is  steamboat  usually  by  propelled  a true,  .false  16 

17  is  the  salty  in  water  all  lakes true,  .false  1^ 

18  usually  judge  can  we  actions  man  his  by  a true,  .false  18 

19  men  misfortune  have  good  never true,  .false  19 

20  tools  valuable  is  for  sharp  making  steel.  true,  .false  20 

21  due  sometimes  calamities  are  accident  to true,  .false  21 

22  forget  trifling  friends  grievances  never.  true.,  false  22 

23  feeling  is  of  painful  exaltation  the true . . false  23 

24  begin  a and  apple  acorn  ant  words  with  the  . . true,  .false  24 


302 


APPENDIX  B 


303 


Instructions  for  Giving  Alpha  Test  6. 

Test  6. — Number  Series  Completion 

(N.  B.  Examiner. — Give  these  instructions  very  slowly). 

‘ Attention!  Look  at  the  first  sample  row  of  figures  at  the  top  of  the  page — 2 
4,  6,  8,  10,  12,  the  two  numbers  that  should  come  next  are,  of  course,  14,  16. 

“Look  at  the  second  sample — 9,  8,  7,  6,  5,  4;  the  two  numbers  that  should 
come  next  are  3,  2. 

“Look  at  the  third  sample— 2,  2,  3,  3,  4,  4;  the  two  numbers  that  should 
come  next  are  5,  5. 

“Now  look  at  the  fourth  sample — 1,  7,  2,  7,  3,  7;  the  next  two  numbers  would, 
of  course,  be  4,  7. 

“Look  at  each  row  of  numbers  below  and  on  the  two  dotted  lines  write  the  two 
numbers  that  should  come  next. — Ready — Go!” 

After  3 minutes,  say  “Stop!  Turn  over  the  page  to  Test  7.” 

Instructions  for  Giving  Alpha  Test  7 

Test  7. — Analogies 

“Attention!  Look  at  the  first  sample  at  the  top  of  the  page:  Sky — blue:  : 
grass — table,  green,  warm,  big. 

“Notice  the  four  words  in  heavy  type.  One  of  them — green — is  underlined. 
Grass  is  green  just  as  the  sky  is  blue. 

“ Look  at  the  second  sample : Fish — swims  : : man — paper,  time,  walks,  girl. 

“ Here  the  word  walks  is  underlined.  A man  walks  and  a fish  swims. 

“Look  at  the  third  sample:  Day — night  : : white — red,  black,  clear,  pure. 
“Here  the  word  black  is  underlined  because  black  is  the  opposite  of  white  just 
as  night  is  the  opposite  of  day. 

“ In  each  of  the  lines  below  the  first  two  words  are  related  to  each  other  in  some 
way.  What  you  are  to  do  in  each  line  is  to  see  what  the  relation  is  between  the 
first  two  words  and  underline  the  word  in  heavy  type  that  is  related  in  the  same 
way  to  the  third  word.  Begin  with  No.  1 and  mark  as  many  sets  as  you  can 
before  time  is  called. — Ready — Go!” 

After  3 minutes,  say  “Stop!  Turn  over  the  page  to  Test  8.” 

Instructions  for  Giving  Alpha  Test  8. 

Test  8. — Information 

“ Attention ! Look  at  the  directions  at  the  top  of  the  page  while  I read  them.” 
(Examiner. — Read  slowly.) 

“Notice  the  sample  sentences:  People  hear  with  the — eyes — ears — nose — 

mouth.  The  correct  word  is  ears,  because  it  makes  the  truest  sentence.  In  each 


TEST  6 


r 2 4 6 8 10  12  16 

98  7 6 6 A 3 2 

SAMPLES  2 2,344  ~5~  “ r ' 

[ 1 7 2 7 3 7 _ 7 

Look  at  each  row  of  numbers  below,  and  on  the  two  dotted  lines 
write  the  two  numbers  that  should  come  next. 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

8 

7 

6 

fi 

4 

3 

10 

15 

20 

25 

30 

35 

..w. 

4 ♦ . . .i 

3 

9 

7 

7 

5 

5 

8 

6 

9 

12 

15 

18 



r*  • *1 

8 

1 

6 

1 

4 

1 



6 

9 

13 

17 

21 

25 

8 

9 

12 

13 

16 

17 

r*  « 4 • 

27 

27 

23 

23 

19 

19 

1.  i •.«  «j 

1 

2 

4 

8 

16 

32 

19 

16 

14 

11 

9 

6 



4.4.. 

11 

13 

12 

14 

13 

15 

r*  • • • «■ 

2 

3 

6 

8 

12 

17 

18 

14 

17 

13 

16 

12 

29 

28 

26 

23 

19 

14 

20 

17 

15 

14 

11 

9 

[.■ss.M.i 

81 

27 

9 

3 

1 

H 



r.  .>  . .; 

1 

4 

9 

16 

25 

36 



16 

17 

15 

18 

14 

19 

3 

6 

8 

16 

18 

36 



K.  . . . 4. 

304 


TEST  7 


SAMPLES 


Sky — blue  ::  grass^  table  green  warm  big 
fish — swims  ::  man — paper  time  walks  girl 
day — night  white — red  black  clear  pure 


In  each  of  the  lines  below,  the  first  two  words  are  related  to  each  other  in  some  way.  What 
you  are  to  do  in  each  line  is  to  see  what  the  relation  is  between  the  first  two  words,  and  under- 
line the  word  in  heavy  type  that  is  related  in  the  same  way  to  the  third  word.  Begin  with 
No.  1 and  mark  as  many  sets  as  you  can  before  time  is  called. 


J shoe — ^foot::haf — kittetf  head  knife  penny - i 

2 pup— dog  ::  lamb — red  door  sheep  book 2 

3 spring — summer  ::  autumn — winter  warm  harvest  rise 3 

4 devil — angel:: bad — mean  disobedient  defamed  good 4 

6 finger — ^hand  ::  toe — body  foot  skin  nail 5 

6 legs— frog  ::  wings — eat  swim  bird  nest 6 

7 chew — ^teeth  ::  smell — sweet  stink  odor  nose • 7 

8 lion — ^roar  ::dog — drive  pony  bark  harness 8 

9 cat — tiger::  dog — wolf  bark  bite  snap 9 

10  good — bad  ;:  long: — tall  big  snake  short 10 

11  g^ant— large  ::  dwarf — jungle  small  beard  ngly 11 

12  winter — season  c:  Januaiy; — Febru^  day  month  Christmas 12 

13  skating— winter  ::  swimming — diving  floating  hole  sximmer 13 

14  blonde — light  : : brunette — dark  hair  brilliant  blonde 14 

16  love— friend  ::  hate— malice,  saint  enemy  dislike 15 

16  egg— bird  :;  seed — ^^grow  plant  crack  germinate 16 

17  dig — trench  ::  build— run  house  spade.  buUet 17 

18  agree— quarrel  :;  friend — comrade  need  mother  enemy..,. 18 

19  palace — king  : : hut—  peasant  cottage  farm  city .v.  19 

20  cloud-burst — shower  ::  cyclone-^ bato  breeze  destroy  West... ...  20 

21  Washington — ^Adams  ::  first — ^president  second  last  Bryan 21 

22  p^nts — command  ::  children — men  shall  women  obey 22 

23  diamond — rare  ::  iron — common  silver  ora  steel 23 

24  yes— affirmative  t:  no — think  knowledge  yes  negative 24 

25  hour — day  : : day — night  week  hour  noon 25 

26  eye — head::  window — key  floor  room  door 26 

27  clothes — ^man  ::  hair — horse  comb  beard  hat....... 27 

28  draw — picture  ::  make— deshroy  table  break  hard. .i......  28 

29  automobile — wagon  ::  motorcycle— ride  speed  bicycle  car 29 

30  granary — wheat  ::  library — read  books  paper  chairs '30 

31  Caucasian— English  ::  Mongolian — Chinese  Indian  negro  yellow.  31 

32  Indiana — United  States  ::  part — hair  China  Ohio  whole.... 32 

33  esteem — despise  ::  friends — Quakers  enemies  lovers  men 33 

34  abide— stay  ::  depart — come  hence  leave  late 34 

35  abundant — scarce  ::  cheap — buy  costly  bargain  nasty  , . 35 

36  whale^large  ::  thunder — loud  rain  lightning  kill 36 

37  rew^d-^hero  ::  punish — God  everlastii^  pain  traitor 37 

38  music — soothing  ::  noise — hear  distracting  sound  report 38 

39  book— writer  ::  statue — sculptor  liberty  picture  state  . 39 

40  wound — ^pain  ::  health — siclmess  disease  exhilaration  doctor 40 


305 


TEST  8 


Notice  the  sample  sentence: 

People  hear  with  the  eyes  ears  nose  mouth 
The  correct  word  is  ears,  because  it  makes  the  truest  sentence. 

In  each  of  the  sentences  below  you  have  four  choices  for  the  last  word.  Only  one  of  them  is  cor- 
rect. In  each  sentence  draw  a Kne  under  the  one  of  these  four  words  which  makes  the  truest  sen- 
tence. If  you  Can  hpt  be  sure,  guess.  The  two  samples  are  already  marked  as  they  should  be. 


{People  hear  with  the  eyes  ears  nose  mouth 

. 

France  is  in  Europe  Asia  Africa  Australia 


1 The  apple  grows  on  a shrub  vine  bush  tree.. 1 

2 Five  hundred  is  played  with  rackets  pins  cards  dice  . 2 

3 The  Percheron  is  a kind  of  goat  horse  cow  sheep 3 

4 The  most  prominent  industry  of  Gloucester  is  fishing  packing  brewing  automobiles.  4 

6 Sapphires  are  usually  blue  red  green  yellow 6 

6 The  Rhode  Island  Red  is  a kind  of  horse  granite  cattle  fowl 6 

7 Christie  Mathewson  is  famous  as  a writer  artist  baseball  player  comedian 7 

8 Revolvers  are  made  by  Swift  & Co.  Smith  & Wesson  - W.  L.  Douglas  B.  T.  Babbitt, . . 8 

9 Carrie  Nation  is  known  as  a singer  temperance  agitator  suffragist  nurse... 9 

10  “There’s  a reason”  is  ah  “ad”  for  a drink  revolver  flour  cleanser 10 

11  Artichoke  is  a kind  of  hay  com  vegetable  fodder........ 11 

12  Chard  is  a fish  lizard  vegetable  snake 12 

13  Cornell  University  is  at  Ithaca  Cambridge  Aimapolis  New  Haven 13 

14  Buenos  Ayres  is  a city  of  Spain  Brazil  Portugal  Argentina ........  14 

15  Ivory  is  obtained  from  elephants  mines  oysters  rerfs 15 

16  Alfred  Noyes  is  famous  hs  a painter  poet  musician  sculptor 16 

17  The  armadillo  is  a kind  of  ornamental  shrub  animal  musical  instrument  dagger 17 

18  The  tendon  of  Achilles  is  in  the  heel  head  shoulder  .abdomen. 18 

19  Criscoisa  patent  medicine  disinfectant  tooth-paste  food  product 19 

20  An  aspen  is  a machine  fabric  tree  drink 20 

21  The  sabre  is  a kind  of  musket  sword  cannon  pistol 21 

22  The  mimeograph  is  a kind  of  typewriter  copying  machine  phonograph  pencil....,,..  22 

23  Maroon  is  a food  fabric  dri^  color 23 

24  The;  clarionet  is  used  in  music  stenography  book-binding  lithography 24 

25  Denim  is  a dance  food  fabric  dri^ 25 

26  The  author  of  “Huckleber^  Finn”  is  Poe  Mark  Twain  Stevenson  Hawthorne 26 

27  Faraday  was  most  famous  in  literature  war  religion  science 27 

28  Air  and  gasolene  are  mixed  in  the  accelerator  carburetor  gear  case  differential 28 

29  The  Brookl3m  Nationals  are  called  the  Giants  Orioles  Superbas  Indians 29 

30  Pasteur  is  most  famous  in  politics  literature  war  science 30 

31  Becky  Sharp  appears  in  Vanity  Fair  Romola  The  Christmas  Carol  Henry  IV 31 

32  The  number  of  a Bair’s  legs  is  two  four  six  eight 32 

33  Habeas  corpus  is  a term  used  in  .medicine  law  theology  pedagogy 33 

34  Ensilage  is  a term  used  in  fishing  athletics  farming  himting 34 

35  The  forward  pass  is  used  in  teimis  hockey  fodtball  golf 35 

36  General  Lee  surrendered  at  Appomattox  in  1812  1865  1886  1832 36 

37  The  watt  is  used  in  measuring  wind  power  rainfall  waterpower  electricity 37 

38  The  Pierce  Arrow  car  is  made  in  Buffalo  Detroit  Toledo  Flint 38 

39  Napoleon  defeated  the  Austrians  at  Friedland  Wagram  Waterloo  Leipzig 39 

40  An  irregular  four-sided  figure  is  called  a scholium  triangle  trapezitun  pentagon 40 


306 


APPENDIX  B 


307 


of  the  sentences  below  you  have  four  choices  for  the  last  word.  Only  one  of 
them  is  correct.  In  each  sentence  draw  a line  under  the  one  of  these  four  words 
which  makes  the  truest  sentence.  If  you  cannot  be  sure,  guess.  The  two 
samples  are  already  marked  as  they  should  be  — Ready — Go!” 

After  4 minutes,  say  “Stop!  Turn  over  the  page  to  Test  1 again.  In  the 
upper  right-hand  corner,  where  it  says  ‘Group  No. — put  the  number  101” 
(or  102,  103,  etc.,  according  to  the  number  of  this  group  in  the  examiner’s  series 
of  groups). 

Directions  for  Scoring  in  Alpha  Test. 

General  Rules 

1.  Each  item  is  scored  either  right  or  wrong.  No  part  credits  are  given. 

2.  In  general,  items  evidently  corrected  stand  as  corrected. 

3.  In  tests  where  the  score  is  “Number  Right,”  only  wrong  items  need  be 
checked  in  scoring.  In  Tests  4 and  5,  where  the  score  is  “Right  minus  Wrong,” 
wrong  and  omitted  items  must  be  separately  checked. 

4.  Indicate  the  last  item  attempted  by  drawing  a long  line  under  that  item  and 
out  into  the  margin. 

5.  Enter  the  score  for  each  test  in  lower  right-hand  corner  of  the  test  page  and 
encircle  it.  When  the  test  has  been  re-scored,  a check  mark  may  be  made 
beside  the  circle. 

6.  Red  or  blue  pencil  increases  accuracy  of  scoring. 

Test  1 

(Score  is  number  right.) 

1.  No  credit  is  given  for  any  item  in  which  more  is  done  than  the  instructions 
require. 

2.  In  an  item  where  something  is  to  be  written  “in”  a given  space,  give  credit 
if  a mark  crosses  a line  from  haste  or  awkwardness:  give  no  credit  if  the  position 
is  really  ambiguous. 

3.  Where  something  is  to  be  underlined  or  crossed  out,  give  credit  if  two  or 
three  underlinings  are  made  in  the  required  place,  and  give  credit  for  any  method 
of  crossing  out. 

4.  Item  2. — The  pencil  line  must  begin  and  end  either  on  the  circumference  or 
within  the  circles  indicated.  It  may  touch  the  intermediate  circles,  but  must 
not  cut  through  them. 

5.  Item  6. — In  the  circle  marked  “not  12”  there  must  be  some  number  which 
is  not  12,  such  as  5,  0,  27. 

6.  Item  9. — The  proper  numbers  must  be  crossed  out  to  receive  credit. 

7.  Item  10. — In  Form  5,  “2”  alone  and  “3”  alone,  but  not  “2  or  3,”  in  each 


308 


APPENDIX  B 


of  the  two  largest  parts;  “5”  alone  and  “6”  alone,  but  not  “5  or  6,”  in  the  next 
to  the  smallest  part,  are  correct.  Similarly  for  other  forms. 

8.  Item,  11. — The  lines  must  cross,  or  at  least  touch,  the  proper  numbers; 
they  may  or  may  not  cut  the  accompanying  letters.  Mere  indication  of  the 
square,  triangle,  etc.,  is  not  sufficient. 

9.  Item  12. — Underlining  in  place  of  crossing  out  is  wrong. 

Test  2 

(Score  is  number  right.) 

1.  Answer  may  be  written  on  dotted  line  or  elsewhere  near  its  problem. 

2.  If  two  answers  are  given  to  any  problem  count  as  wrong. 

3.  If  it  seems  clear  that,  by  a slip,  one  answer  has  been  put  in  the  wrong 
bracket,  and  the  next  answers  are  all  thus  misplaced,  give  credit  for  the  answers 
that  are  right  even  if  misplaced. 

4.  Omission  of  dollar  sign  is  permissible. 

5.  Omission  of  decimal  point  is  permissible  in  items,  2,  9,  13,  and  14.  Frac- 
tion may  be  expressed  as  decimal  in  item  15. 

Test  3 

(Score  is  number  right.) 

1.  Any  clear  method  of  indicating  answer  is  given  full  credit — underlining, 
checking,  etc. 

2.  If  two  answers  are  marked,  count  as  wrong  unless  one  is  clearly  indicated 
as  final. 

Test  4 

(Score  is  number  right  minus  number  wrong.) 

1.  Any  clear  method  of  indicating  answer  is  given  credit. 

2.  When  both  “Same”  and  “Opposite”  are  underlined,  counts  as  omitted, 
not  as  wrong. 

3.  If  only  “Same”  is  underlined  right  down  the  column,  score  for  the  test  is 
zero.  Similarly  if  “ Opposite  ” is  underlined  right  down  the  column. 

Test  5 

(Score  is  number  right  minus  number  wrong.) 

Same  rules  as  for  Test  4. 


Test  6 

(Score  is  number  right.) 

1.  If  only  one  number  is  written,  give  no  credit. 

2.  If  only  one  of  the  numbers  is  right,  give  no  credit. 


APPENDIX  B 309 

3.  If  four  numbers  are  written,  as  frequently  happens  with  certain  items 
(i.  e.,  33,  11  instead  of  3,  3),  give  full  credit. 

Text  7 

(Score  is  number  right.) 

1.  Any  clear  indication  other  than  underlining  receives  full  credit. 

2.  Underlining  of  any  of  the  first  three  words  of  an  item  does  not  remove 
credit. 

3.  If  two  or  more  of  the  last  four  words  are  marked,  give  no  credit. 

Test  8 

(Score  is  number  right.) 

Same  rules  as  for  Test  7. 

Total  Score  and  Rating 

The  result  of  examination  Alpha  is  expressed  in  a total  score  which  is  the  sum 
of  the  raw  scores  of  the  several  tests.  The  raw  scores  are  obtained  as  follows: 


TEST 

METHOD  OF 
SCORING 

MAXIMUM 
RAW  SCORE 

1 

R 

12 

2 

R 

20 

R 

16 

R-W 

40 

R-W 

24 

6 

R 

20 

R 

40 

R 

40 

Total 

212 

Letter  ratings  are  assigned  on  examination  Alpha  as  follows : 


RATING 


SCORE 


8+ 

C— 

D 


135-212 

105-134 

75-104 

45-74 

25-44 

15-24 

0-14 


^Recalled  for  further  examination. 


All  ratings  above  “D — ” are  entered  and  reported  at  once.  Men  whose  scores 
are  below  “D”  are  recalled  for  examination  Beta.  Ratings  of  “D — ” may  not  be 
given  in  Alpha,  unless  recall  of  the  men  for  Beta  is  impossible 


310 


APPENDIX  B 


Method  of  Giving  the  Army  Beta  Tests. 

In  practice  the  Beta  tests,  reproduced  in  facsimile  on  pages  313  to  322 
following,  are  given  with  the  assistance  of  a blackboard  chart  on  which  the  differ- 
ent tests  are  painted  in  white,  so  that  the  examiner  can  show  them  to  the  entire 
group  before  they  see  them  on  their  examination  papers.  There  are  also  re- 
quired for  giving  the  Beta  tests  a set  of  cardboard  cubes  for  the  examiner’s  use 
in  explaining  Test  2,  and  a set  of  cardboard  pieces  cut  to  the  shapes  of  the  figures 
in  Test  7,  though  of  much  larger  size.  The  assistance  of  a demonstrator  is  also 
required.  Procedure. 

It  is  most  important  that  examination  Beta  be  given  in  a genial  manner.  The 
subjects  who  take  this  examination  sometimes  sulk  and  refuse  to  work.  E. 
and  his  assistants  will  find  it  necessary  to  fill  out  most  of  the  headings  for  the 
men  before  the  examination  begins.  The  time  required  for  this  preparatory 
work  may  be  used  to  advantage  in  making  the  men  feel  at  ease.  As  the  demon- 
stration preparatory  to  each  test  requires  some  time,  the  “pencils  up”  command 
is  omitted  in  examination  Beta.  The  examiner’s  platform  should  be  so  high 
that  he  can  readily  see  whether  or  not  the  subjects  are  working.  Great  care 
should  be  taken  to  prevent  the  overanxious  from  beginning  work  before  the 
command  “Go.” 

Seating  conditions  should  be  such  that  subjects  cannot  copy  from  one  an- 
other and  the  rule  that  copying  shall  not  be  allowed  should  be  enforced  strictly. 
The  blackboard  should  at  all  times  be  kept  clean  so  that  the  visual  conditions 
may  be  excellent  and  constant.  The  blackboard  figures  for  Test  1 should  be 
exposed  when  the  subjects  enter  the  examining  room.  As  soon  as  a test  has 
been  demonstrated  and  the  men  have  been  told  to  go  ahead,  the  blackboard  should 
be  covered  and  kept  covered  until  time  is  called.  It  should  not  be  turned  to  the 
next  test  until  the  men  have  been  ordered  to  stop  work  on  a given  test.  Care 
should  be  taken  to  have  the  physical  conditions  of  examination  reasonably 
uniform. 

With  the  exception  of  the  brief  introductory  statements  and  a few  orders, 
instructions  are  to  be  given  throughout  by  means  of  gestures  instead  of  words. 
These  gestures  accompany  the  samples  and  demonstrations  and  should  be 
animated  and  emphatic. 

It  is  absolutely  necessary  that  directions  be  followed  closely  and  procedure 
kept  uniform  and  definite.  Variations  of  procedure  are  more  likely  to  occur 
in  Beta  than  in  Alpha,  and  there  is  serious  risk  that  if  allowed  they  will  lessen 
the  value  of  results.  E.  should  especially  guard  against  using  more  or  fewer 
gestures  of  words  for  one  group  than  for  another.  Oral  languages  should  be 
rigidly  limited  to  the  words  and  phrases  given  in  the  procedure  for  the  different 
tests. 

Whether  the  men  get  the  idea  of  the  test  and  enter  into  it  with  the  proper 
spirit  will  depend  chiefly  on  the  skill  with  which  the  examiner,  the  demonstra- 


APPENDIX  B 


311 


tor,  and  the  orderlies  carry  out  their  respective  parts.  Examiner  and  demon- 
strator especially  should  be  selected  with  the  greatest  care.  An  examiner  who 
succeeds  admirably  in  giving  Alpha  may  prove  to  be  entirely  unadapted  for 
Beta.  Both  examiner  and  demonstrator  must  be  adept  in  the  use  of  gesture 
language.  In  the  selection  of  a demonstrator  the  Personnel  OjEce  should  be 
consulted.  One  camp  has  had  great  success  with  a “window  seller”  as  dem- 
onstrator. Actors  should  also  be  considered  for  the  work.  The  orderlies 
should  be  able  to  keep  the  subjects  at  work  without  antagonizing  them  and  to 
keep  them  encouraged  without  actually  helping  them. 

The  demonstrator  should  have  the  single  task  of  doing  before  the  group  just  what 
the  group  is  later  to  do  with  the  examination  blanks.  The  blackboard  is  his  Beta 
blank.  Before  examination  Beta  can  be  given  satisfactorily  the  demonstrator 
must  be  letter  perfect  in  his  part.  Both  E.  and  demonstrator  must  be 
very  careful  to  stand  at  the  side  of  the  blackboard  in  order  not  to  hide  the 
drawings. 

As  soon  as  the  men  of  a group  have  been  properly  seated,  pencils  should  be 
distributed  and  also  examination  blanks  with  Test  8 up.  While  this  is  being 
done  E.  should  say  “Here  are  some  papers.  You  must  not  open  them  or  turn 
them  over  until  you  are  told  to.”  Holding  up  Beta  blank,  E.  continues; 

“In  the  place  where  it  says  name,  write  your  name;  print  it  if  you  can. 
(Pause.)  Fill  out  the  rest  of  the  blank  about  your  age,  schooling,  etc.,  as  well 
as  you  can.  If  you  have  any  trouble  we  will  help  you”  (The  instructions 
given  under  segregation  may  be  used  for  filling  out  the  Beta  blank).  E.  should 
announce  the  group  number  and  see  that  it  as  well  as  the  other  necessary  in- 
formation is  supplied.  Before  the  examination  proceeds  each  paper  should  be 
inspected  in  order  to  make  sure  that  it  is  satisfactorily  completed. 

After  the  initial  information  has  been  obtained,  E.  makes  the  following  intro- 
ductory remarks: 

Attention!  Watch  this  man  (pointing  to  demonstrator).  He  (pointing  to 
demonstrator  again)  is  going  to  do  here  (tapping  blackboard  with  pointer)  what 
you  (pointing  to  different  members  of  group)  are  to  do  on  your  papers  (here  E. 
points  to  several  papers  that  lie  before  men  in  the  group,  picks  up  one,  holds 
it  next  to  the  blackboard,  returns  the  paper,  points  to  demonstrator  and  the 
blackboard  in  succession,  then  to  the  men  and  their  papers).  Ask  no  questions. 
Wait  till  I say  ‘Go  ahead!’” 

In  general,  when  instructing  the  group  to  turn  from  test  to  test,  E.  holds  up 
a Beta  blank  before  group  and  follows  his  own  instructions  as  he  gives  them. 
As  soon  as  he  has  turned  to  desired  test  or  page  he  says,  “This  is  test  X here; 
look!”  (Pointing  to  the  page.) 

To  suggest  to  the  group  the  necessity  of  working  rapidly  the  demonstrator, 
after  proceeding  very  deliberately  with  the  early  samples  of  each  test,  hurries 
as  soon  as  he  has  worked  out  the  last  sample  problem. 


312 


APPENDIX  B 


(1)  to  record  his  response  as  fast  as  he  can, 

(2)  then  to  catch  E.’s  eyes  for  approval  and 

(3)  finally,  to  slip  away  from  blackboard,  drawing  curtain  as  he  does  so. 

After  the  personal  data  called  for  on  page  1 of  blank  have  been  gathered  and 

recorded,  the  orderlies’  vocabulary  in  Beta  is  rigidly  restricted  to  the  following 
words,  or  their  literal  equivalents  in  Italian,  Russian,  etc.:  Yes,  No,  Sure,  Good, 
Quick,  How  many?  Same,  Fix  it.  Under  no  circumstances  may  substitutional 
explanations  or  directions  be  given. 

Test  1 — Maze 

“Now  turn  your  papers  over.  This  is  Test  1 here  (pointing  to  page  of  record 
blank).  Look.”  After  all  have  found  the  page,  E.  continues,  “Don’t  make 
any  marks  till  I say  ‘Go  ahead.’  Now  watch.’*  After  touching  both  arrows 
E.  traces  through  first  maze  with  pointer  and  then  motions  the  demonstrator 
to  go  ahead.  Demonstrator  traces  path  through  first  maze  unth  crayon,  slowly 
and  hesitatingly.  E.  then  traces  second  maze  and  motions  to  demonstrator 
to  go  ahead.  Demonstrator  makes  one  mistake  by  going  into  the  blind  alley 
at  upper  left-hand  corner  of  maze.  E.  apparently  does  not  notice  what  dem- 
onstrator is  doing  until  he  crosses  line  at  end  of  alley;  then  E.  shakes  his  head 
vigorously,  says  “No — no,”  takes  demonstrator’s  hand  and  traces  back  to 
the  place  where  he  may  start  right  again.  Demonstrator  traces  rest  of  maze 
so  as  to  indicate  an  attempt  at  haste,  hesitating  only  at  ambiguous  points.  E. 
says  “Good.”  Then,  holding  up  blank,  “Look  here,”  and  draws  an  imaginary 
line  across  the  page  from  left  to  right  for  every  maze  on  the  page.  Then,  “All 
right.  Go  ahead.  Do  it  (pointing  to  men  and  then  to  books).  Hurry  up.” 
The  idea  of  working  fast  must  be  impressed  on  the  men  during  the  maze  test. 
E.  and  orderlies  walk  around  the  room,  motioning  to  men  who  are  not  working, 
and  saying,  “Do  it,  do  it,  hurry  up,  quick.” 

At  the  end  of  2 minutes  E.  says,  “Stop!  Turn  over  the  page  to  Test  2.” 

Test  2 — Cube  Analysis 

“This  is  Test  2 here.  Look.”  After  everyone  has  found  the  page — “Now 
watch.”  The  order  of  procedure  is  as  follows: 

(1)  E.  points  to  the  three-cube  model  on  the  blackboard,  making  a rotary 
movement  of  the  pointer  to  embrace  the  entire  picture. 

(2)  With  similar  motions  he  points  to  the  three-cube  model  on  shelf. 

(3)  E.  points  next  to  picture  on  blackboard  and  asks,  “How  many?” 

(4)  E.  turns  to  cube  model  and  counts  aloud,  putting  up  his  fingers  while  so 
doing,  and  encouraging  the  men  to  count  with  him. 

(5)  E.  taps  each  cube  on  the  blackboard  and  motions  to  demonstrator,  asking 
him  “How  many?” 


Test  I 


313 


Test  2 


(Tf^ 

314. 


APPENDIX  B 315 

(6)  Demonstrator  (pointing)  counts  cubes  on  blackboard  silently  and  writes 
the  hgure  3 in  proper  place. 

In  the  second  sample  of  this  test,  when  E.  counts  cubes  of  model  he 

(1)  counts  the  three  exposed  cubes; 

(2)  touches  the  unexposed  cube  with  pointer;  and 

(3)  without  removing  pointer  turns  model,  so  that  hidden  cube  comes  into  view 
of  group.  In  other  respects  procedure  with  second  and  third  samples  is  the  same 
as  with  first. 

In  counting  the  12-cube  model,  E.  (1)  counts  the  top  row  of  cubes  in  the  model 
(left  to  right),  (2)  counts  the  exposed  bottom  row  (right  to  left),  (3)  taps  with 
pointer  the  end  cube  of  hidden  row,  (4)  turns  the  entire  model  around  and  com- 
pletes his  counting,  E.  then  holds  model  in  same  place  as  drawing  and  counts 
(in  the  same  order  as  above)  the  cubes  on  blackboard,  counting  lines  between 
front  and  top  row  as  representing  the  hidden  row.  He  then  asks  demonstrator 
“How  many?”  Demonstrator  eounts  the  cubes  on  blackboard  (pointing  but 
not  speaking)  and  writes  the  response. 

Throughout  the  demonstration  the  counting  is  done  deliberately,  not  more 
rapidly  than  one  cube  per  second. 

At  end  of  demonstration  E.  points  to  page  and  says,  “All  right.  Go  ahead.” 
At  the  end  of  2^  minutes  he  says,  “ Stop ! Look  at  me  and  don’t  turn  the  page.” 

Test  3 — X-0  Series 

“This  is  Test  3 here.  Look.”  After  everyone  has  found  the  page — “Now 
watch.”  E.  first  points  to  the  blank  rectangles  at  the  end,  then  traees  each 
“O”  in  chart,  then  traces  outline  of  “O’s”  in  remaining  spaces.  Demonstrator, 
at  a gesture,  draws  them  in.  E.  then  traces  first  “X”  in  next  sample,  moves 
to  next  “X”  by  tracing  the  arc  of  an  imaginary  semicircle  joining  the  two,  and 
in  the  same  manner  traces  each  “ X,  ” moving  over  an  arc  to  the  next.  He  then 
traces  outlines  of  “X’s”  in  the  proper  blank  spaces,  moving  over  the  imaginary 
arc  in  each  case,  and  motions  to  demonstrator  to  draw  them  in.  Demonstrator, 
at  a gesture,  fills  in  remaining  problems  very  slowly,  standing  well  to  the  right 
of  the  blackboard  and  writing  with  his  left  hand.  E.  points  to  page  and  says, 
“All  right!  Go  ahead.  Hurry  up!”  At  end  of  If  minutes  he  says,  “Stop! 
Turn  over  the  page  to  Test  4.” 

Test  4 — Digit — Symbol 

“This  is  Test  4 here.  Look.”  After  everyone  has  found  the  page — “Now 
watch.”  E.  points  to  first  digit  of  key  on  blackboard  and  then  points  to  the 
symbol  under  it.  Same  for  all  nine  digits  in  key.  E.  then  (1)  points  to  first 
digit  of  sample,  (2)  to  the  empty  space  below  digit,  (3)  points  to  corresponding 
digit  of  key,  (4)  points  to  proper  symbol  under  digit  in  key,  and  (5)  traces  the 


Test  3 


316 


Test  4 


317 


318 


APPENDIX  B 


outline  of  the  proper  symbol  in  the  blank  space  under  the  digit  in  the  sample. 
Same  for  first  five  samples.  Demonstrator,  at  a gesture,  fills  in  all  the  samples, 
working  as  follows:  (1)  Touches  the  number  in  first  sample  with  index  finger 
of  right  hand;  (2)  holding  finger  there,  finds  with  index  finger  of  left  hand  the 
corresponding  number  in  key;  (3)  drops  index  finger  of  left  hand  to  symbol  for 
number  found;  (4)  holding  left  hand  in  this  position  writes  appropriate  symbol 
in  the  lower  half  of  sample. 

Similarly  with  the  other  samples.  While  working,  demonstrator  should  stand 
as  far  as  possible  to  the  left,  doing  all  the  samples  from  this  side. 

At  the  end  of  demonstration  E.  says,  “Look  here”  and  points  to  key  on  page, 
repeating  the  gestures  used  in  pointing  on  the  blackboard  at  the  beginning  of  the 
demonstration.  Then,  “All  right.  Go  ahead.  Hurry  up!”  Orderlies  point 
out  key  to  men  who  are  at  a loss  to  find  it.  At  the  end  of  2 minutes,  E.  says: 
“Stop!  But  don’t  turn  the  page.” 

Test  5. — Number  Checking 

“This  is  Test  5 here”  After  everyone  has  found  the  page,  “Now  watch.” 
In  this  demonstration  E.  must  try  to  get  “Yes”  or  “No”  responses  from  the 
group.  If  the  wrong  response  is  volunteered  by  group,  E.  points  to  digits  again 
and  gives  right  response,  “Yes”  or  “No”  as  the  case  may  be.  E.  points  to  first 
digit  of  first  number  in  left  column,  then  to  first  digit  first  number  in  right 
colunm,  then  to  second  digit  first  number  in  left  column  and  second  digit  first 
number  in  right  column;  nods  head,  says  “Yes”  and  makes  an  imaginary  cross 
at  end  of  number  in  right  column.  Motions  to  demonstrator,  who  makes  an 
“X”  there.  E.  does  the  same  for  second  line  of  figures,  but  here  he  indicates 
clearly  by  shaking  head  and  saying  “no”  that  certain  digits  are  not  identical. 
E.  repeats  for  three  more  sets  and  after  each,  looks  at  group,  says  “Yes?”  in 
questioning  tone  and  waits  for  them  to  say  “ Yes  ” or  “ No.”  He  repeats  correct . 
reply  with  satisfaction.  Demonstrator  checks  each  after  group  has  responded, 
or  at  signal  from  E.  if  group  does  not  respond.  Demonstrator  then  works  out 
remaining  items,  pointing  from  column  to  column  and  working  deliberately.  E. 
summarizes  demonstrator’s  work  by  pointing  to  the  whole  numbers  in  each  set 
and  saying  “Yes”  (indicating  X)  or  “No”;  if  “No,”  he  shows  again  where  the 
numbers  are  unlike.  E.  then  points  to  page  and  says  “All  right.  Go  ahead. 
Hurry  up!”  At  the  end  of  3 minutes  E.  says  “Stop!  Turn  over  the  page  to 
Test  6.” 


Test  6. — Pictoral  Completion 

“This  is  Test  6 here.  Look.  A lot  of  pictures.”  After  everyone  has  found 
the  page,  “Now  watch.”  E.  points  to  hand  and  says  to  demonstrator:  “Fix 
it.”  Demonstrator  does  nothing,  but  looks  puzzled.  E.  points  to  the  picture 


Test  5 


650 

650 

10243586  

041 

044 

659012534  

2579 

2579 

388172902  

381872902 

8281 

8281 

631027594  

631027594 

55190 

55102 

2499901354  

2499901534 

89190 

39190 

2261059310  

2261659310 

658049 

650849 

2911038227  

8295017  

3290517 

313377752  

63015991 

63019991 

1012938567  

89007106 

39007106 

7166220988  

69931087 

69931087' 

3177628449  

3177682449 

251004818  . . . 

251004418 

468672663  

468672663 

299056013 

299056013 

9104529003  

9194529003 

36015992 

360155992 

3484657120  

3484657^10 

3910066482  . . . 

391006482 

8588172556  

8581722556 

8510273301  . . , 

8510273301 

8120166671  

3120166671 

263136996  . . . 

263136996 

7611348879  

76111345879 

451152903  . . . 

26557239164  ...w. 

26557239164 

3259016275  . . . 

3295016725 

8819002341  

8819002341 

582039144  . . . 

582039144 

6571018034  

6571018034 

61558529 

88779762514  

38779765214 

211915883  . . . 

39008126557  

39008126657 

670413822 

670143822 

75658100398  

75658100398 

17198591 

17198591 

41181900726  

41181900726 

36482991 

36482991 

6543920817  

6543920871 

319 


Tcst6 


320 


APPENDIX  B 


321 


of  the  hand,  then  to  the  place  where  finger  is  missing  and  says  to  demonstrator; 
*‘Fix  it.  Fix  it.”  Demonstrator  then  draws  in  finger.  E.  says,  “That’s  right.” 
E.  then  points  to  fish  and  place  for  eye  and  says,  “Fix  it.”  After  demonstrator 
has  drawn  missing  eye,  E.  points  to  each  of  the  four  remaining  drawings  and  says, 
“Fix  them  all.”  Demonstrator  works  samples  out  slowly  and  with  apparent 
effort.  When  the  samples  are  finished  E.  says,  “All  right.  Go  ahead.  Hurry 
up!”  During  the  course  of  this  test  the  orderlies  w'alk  around  the  room  and 
locate  individuals  who  are  doing  nothing,  point  to  their  pages,  and  say  “Fix  it. 
Fix  them,”  trying  to  set  everyone  working.  At  end  of  3 minutes  E.  says, 
*‘Stop!  But  don’t  turn  over  the  page.” 


Test  7. — Geometrical  Construction 

“This  is  Test  7 here.  Look.”  After  everyone  has  found  the  page,  “Now 
watch.”  Examiner  points  to  the  first  figure  on  blackboard.  He  then  takes 
the  two  pieces  of  cardboard,  fits  them  on  to  the  similar  drawings  on  blackboard 
to  show  that  they  correspond  and  puts  them  together  in  the  square  on  black- 
board to  show  that  they  fill  it.  Then,  after  running  his  finger  over  the  line  of 
intersection  of  the  parts,  E.  removes  the  pieces  and  signals  demonstrator,  who 
draws  solution  in  the  square  on  blackboard.  The  same  procedure  is  repeated 
for  the  second  and  third  sample.  Demonstrator  works  out  fourth  sample,  after 
much  study,  pointing  from  the  square  to  the  forms. 

Demonstrator  first  draws  the  two  small  squares  in  the  upper  half  of  the  large 
square,  then  the  two  triangles  in  the  remaining  rectangle.  Each  small  figure 
is  drawn  in  by  tracing  its  entire  circumference,  not  merely  the  necessary  dividing 
lines.  While  drawing  each  small  figure  in  the  large  square,  demonstrator 
points  with  index  finger  of  left  hand  to  the  corresponding  small  figure  at  left  of 
square,  taking  care  not  to  obstruct  the  view.  At  end  of  demonstration  E. 
holds  up  blank,  points  to  each  square  on  the  page  and  says,  “AU  right.  Go 
ahead.  Hurry  up!”  At  end  of  minutes,  “Stop!  Turn  over  the  page.” 
Papers  are  then  collected  immediately. 

Scoring  the  Beta  Tests. 


General  Rules 

1.  Ih  general,  items  evidently  corrected  stand  as  corrected.  The  only  ex- 
ception to  this  rule  is  in  the  maze  test. 

2.  In  tests  where  the  score  is  number  right,  only  wrong  items  need  be  checked 
in  scoring.  In  Test  5,  where  the  score  is  right  minus  wrong,  wrong  and  omitted 
items  must  be  separately  checked. 

3.  Enter  the  score  for  each  test  in  lower  right-hand  corner  of  the  test  page  and 


Test  7 


322 


APPENDIX  B 323 

encircle  it.  When  the  test  has  been  rescored  a cheek  may  be  made  beside  the 
circle. 

4.  Red  or  blue  pencil  increases  accuracy  of  scoring. 

Test  1. 

1.  One  half  point  for  each  correctly  completed  half  of  maze.  A half  maze  is 
correct  if  drawn  line  does  not  cross  any  line  of  maze  (except  through  awkward- 
ness) nor  an  imaginary  straight  line  aeross  the  opening  of  a wrong  passage. 

2.  Allow  much  leeway  in  the  cutting  of  corners. 

3.  Spur  running  into  any  blind  passage  counts  wrong  for  that  half-item,  even 
though  erased. 

4.  When  two  lines  are  drawn,  one  straight  across  the  page,  the  other  correct, 
full  credit  is  given. 


Score  is  number  right. 


Test  2. 


Test  3. 

1.  Score  is  number  right. 

2.  Any  incomplete  item  reeeives  no  credit. 

3.  Count  any  item  correct  if  intended  plan  is  carried  out.  Disregard  ad- 
ditional unnecessary  marks,  such  as  circles  between  the  crosses  of  items  2 and  4 
in  first  part  of  line,  etc. 

Test  4. 

1.  Score  is  one  third  of  number  of  correct  symbols. 

2.  Use  leniency  in  judging  form  of  symbol. 

3.  Credit  symbol  for  2 even  though  reversed. 

Test  5. 

1.  Score  is  right  minus  wrong  (number  of  items  checked  that  should  be 
checked  minus  number  of  items  checked  that  should  not  be  checked). 

2.  If  other  clear  indication  is  used  instead  of  crosses,  give  credit. 

3.  If  numbers  which  should  not  be  checked  are  marked  by  some  other  sign 
than  is  used  to  eheek  similar  pairs,  count  as  though  not  marked. 

4.  If  all  items  are  cheeked,  the  score  for  the  test  is  zero. 

Test  6. 

1.  Score  is  number  right. 

2.  Allow  much  awkwardness  in  drawing.  Writing  in  name  of  missing  part 
or  any  way  of  indicating  it  receives  credit,  if  idea  is  clear. 


S24  APPENDIX  B 

3.  Additional  parts  do  not  make  item  wrong,  if  proper  missing  part  is  also 
inserted. 

4.  Rules  for  Individual  items: 

Item  Jf.. — Any  spoon  at  any  angle  in  right  hand  receives  credit.  Left  hand,  or 
unattached  spoon,  no  credit. 

Item  5. — Chimney  must  be  in  right  place.  No  credit  for  smoke. 

Item  6. — Another  ear  on  same  side  as  first  receives  no  credit. 

Item  8. — Plain  square,  cross,  etc.,  in  proper  location  for  stamp,  receives  credit. 

Item  10. — Missing  part  is  the  rivet.  Line  of  “ear”  may  be  omitted. 

Item  13. — Missing  part  is  leg. 

Item  15. — Ball  should  be  drawn  in  hand  of  man.  If  represented  in  hand  of 
woman,  or  in  motion,  no  credit. 

Item  16. — Single  line  indicating  net  receives  credit. 

Item  18. — Any  representation  intended  for  horn,  pointing  in  any  direction, 
receives  credit. 

Item  19. — Hand  and  powder  puff  must  be  put  on  proper  side. 

Item  20. — Diamond  is  the  missing  part.  Failure  to  complete  hilt  on  sword 
is  not  an  error. 

Test  7. 

1.  Score  is  number  right. 

8.  Allow  considerable  awkwardness  in  drawing. 

3.  Extra  subdivisions,  if  not  erased,  make  item  wrong. 

4.  Rules  for  individual  items: 

Item  1. — Line  of  division  may  be  slightly  distant  from  true  centre,  and  need 
not  be  straight. 

Item  3. — Lines  of  semi-circumference  must  start  from  or  near  corners  of  square. 

Item  — Line  must  not  start  from  corner. 

4.  Total  Score  and  Rating 

The  result  of  examination  Beta  is  expressed  as  a “total  score,”  which  is  the 
sum  of  the  raw  scores  of  the  several  tests.  The  raw  scores  are  obtained  as 
follows: 


TEST 

METHOD  OF  SCORING 

MAXIMUM 

SCORE 

1 

2 

Half  point  for  each  half  maze  . 
Number  right 

5 

16 

3 

Number  right 

12 

4 

One  third  of  number  right  . 

30 

Right  minus  wrong 

25 

6 

Number  right 

20 

7 

Number  right 

10 

Total 

118 

APPENDIX  B 


325 


Letter  ratings  are  assigned  on  examination  Beta  as  follows: 


B 

C+  . 

c 

c— . 

D , 
D-i  , 


BATING 


SCORES 


100-118 
90-  99 


65-  79 
45-  64 
20-  44 
0-  19 


‘Recalled  for  individual  examination. 


All  ratings  above  D — are  entered  and  reported  at  once.  Men  whose  scores  fall 
below  D are  reealled  for  individual  examination. 

Ratings  of  D — may  not  be  given  in  examination  Beta,  unless  recall  of  the  men 
for  individual  examination  is  impossible. 


APPENDIX  C 


Method  of  Calculating  the  Coefficient  of  Coordination 
(See  Pages  95-97) 

A simple  method  of  determining  precisely  the  degree  to  which  the  mental  test 
of  28  school  children  reflects  or  is  related  to  their  scholarship  records  and  the 
teacher’s  estimate,  as  shown  in  the  table  on  Page  96,  is  to  plot  the  relationship 
graphically,  which  has  been  done  in  the  accompanying  diagrams. 

In  each  diagram  a heavy  diagonal  line  shows  approximately  where  the  plotted 
points  would  fall  if  the  relationship  were  perfect  between  the  numbers  of  errors 
in  the  educational  measurements  and  the  other  measure  of  ability.  It  is  clear 
that  the  relationship  shown  in  each  diagram  is  far  from  perfect,  but  it  is  not 
clear  from  the  diagrams  which  rating  of  the  teacher  is  most  nearly  approximated 
by  the  educational  measurement  scores.  To  discover  this  relative  degree  of 
relationship,  a mathematical  calculation  must  be  made.  For  the  purposes 
of  testing  the  correspondence  between  the  scores  in  the  various  Mentimeter 
tests  and  the  production  records  or  supervisor’s  ratings  of  the  group  of  persons 
tested,  it  is  suflBcient  to  calculate  what  is  best  called  “a  coefficient  of  coordina- 
tion.”* 

The  first  step  in  the  calculation  of  a coefficient  of  coordination  is  the  trans- 
formation of  the  original  scores  into  figures  indicating  order  of  merit.  In  the 
case  of  the  sixth-grade  class  here  referred  to,  the  teacher’s  ratings  of  intelligence 
need  not  be  changed,  for  they  are  exactly  the  kind  of  ratings  necessary:  1 in- 

dicating the  brightest  and  28  the  dullest  pupil,  so  far  as  the  teacher  was  able  to 
judge  her  pupils  at  the  end  of  a year’s  work.  Since  the  educational  measure- 
ments scores  reported  are  the  number  of  errors  made  by  each  child,  the  rank  of 
the  child  making  the  smallest  numbers  of  errors  will  be  1,  while  the  rank  of  the 
pupil  making  the  largest  number  of  errors  will  be  28.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
scholarship  marks  are  the  summaries  of  the  teacher’s  percentage  marks  for  a 
half  year,  hence  the  best  pupil  is  the  one  making  the  highest  percentage.  In 
scholarship,  then,  the  highest  percentage  should  get  the  rank  of  1 and  the 
lowest  percentage  a rank  of  28. 

•Calculated  by  a somewhat  more  complex  formula,  approximately  the  same  measure  of 're- 
lationship might  be  found,  called  by  the  more  familar  name  “coefficient  of  correlation.” 

326 


NUMBER  OF  ERRORS  IN  TESTS 


Graphic  picture  of  relation  between  test  results  and  intelli- 
gence ratings  given  by  teacher 


327 


Graphic  picture  of  relation  between  test  results  and  scholar- 
ship marks  given  by  teacher 


328 


APPENDIX  C 


329 


The  first  three  columns  of  the  following  table  give  ranks  in  the  place  of  the 
original  figures  which  indicated  numbers  of  errors  in  measurements  and  percentage 
in  scholarship.  Where  two  or  more  individuals  are  entitled  to  the  same  rank, 
the  figure  used  is  the  middle  value  of  the  ranks.  Thus  in  the  case  of  the  educa- 
tional measurements  scores,  two  girls  made  16.5  errors.  There  are  but  two 


RANEINQ  OF  SIXTH-GRADE  PUPILS 


DIFFERENCES  IN  RANKINGS 


Name 

of 

Pupil 

A 

Educa- 

tional 

Meas- 

ure- 

ments 

B 

Teacher’s 

Ranking 

C 

Scholar- 

ship 

Marks 

A to  B 

A to  C 

B to  C 

d 

d2 

d 

d2 

d 

d2 

Adelaide 

12 

19 

18.5 

7. 

49. 

6.5 

42.25 

0.5 

0.26 

Ruth 

3.5 

15 

9. 

11.5 

132.25 

5.5 

30.25 

6. 

36. 

Alexander 

9 

7 

5 

— 2. 

4. 

— 4. 

16. 

2. 

4. 

LaMonte 

14 

6 

5 

— 8. 

64, 

— 9 

81. 

1. 

1. 

Earl 

28 

18 

24 

—10. 

100. 

— 4. 

16. 

— 6. 

36. 

Joseph 

6 

20 

18.5 

14. 

196. 

12.5 

156.25 

1.5 

2.25 

Amedeo 

27 

14 

18.5 

—13. 

169. 

8.5 

72.25 

4.5 

20.25 

Leo 

16 

3 

5 

—13. 

169. 

—11. 

121. 

— 2. 

4. 

William 

17 

9 

21 

—8. 

64. 

4. 

16. 

—12. 

144. 

Isabel 

8 

21 

25 

13. 

169. 

17. 

289. 

— 4. 

16. 

Ida 

13 

4 

3 

— 9. 

81. 

—10. 

100. 

1. 

1, 

Hazel 

1 

10 

9 

9. 

-81. 

8. 

64. 

1. 

1. 

Frederick 

23 

26 

16 

3. 

9. 

— 7. 

49. 

10. 

100. 

Charles 

20 

13 

18.5 

— 7. 

49. 

— 1.5 

2.25 

5.5 

30.25 

Edward 

11 

1 

2 

—10. 

100. 

— 9. 

81. 

— 1. 

1. 

Benjamin 

22 

24 

26 

2. 

4. 

4. 

16. 

— 2. 

4. 

Bruce 

19 

22 

14 

3. 

9. 

— 5, 

25. 

8. 

64. 

Alden 

18 

12 

14 

— 6. 

36. 

— 4. 

16. 

— 2. 

4. 

George 

21 

17 

14 

— 4. 

16. 

7. 

49. 

3. 

9. 

Alice 

10 

11 

12 

1. 

1. 

2. 

4. 

— 1- 

1. 

Almira 

2 

5 

1 

3 

9. 

— 1. 

1 

4. 

16. 

Helen 

3.6 

2 

9 

— 1.5 

2.25 

5.5 

30.25 

— 7. 

49. 

Elizabeth 

24 

23 

27 

— 1. 

1. 

3. 

9. 

— 4. 

16. 

Amelia 

7 

8 

7 

1. 

1 . 

0 

0 

1. 

1. 

Edwin 

5 

16 

11 

11. 

121 ! 

6. 

36. 

5. 

25. 

Robert 

25 

28 

28 

3. 

9. 

3. 

9. 

0 

0 

Edna 

15 

27 

23 

12. 

144. 

8. 

•64. 

4. 

16.0 

Samuel 

26 

25 

22 

— 1. 

1. 

— 4. 

16. 

3. 

9. 

Sd2=  1790.6  1411.5  611.0 


pupils  making  better  showings,  and  therefore  Ruth  and  Helen  would  normally 
rank  third  and  fourth,  but  since  we  have  no  evidence  as  to  which  should  rank 
third  and  which  fourth,  each  is  given  a rank  of  3.5.  Similarly  it  will  be  observed 
that  Alexander,  LaMonte,  and  Leo  each  obtained  a percentage  of  93  in  scholar- 
ship, therefore  the  three  boys  named  share  equally  the  fourth,  fifth,  and  sixth 
rank,  each  being  given  5 as  a rank;  and  the  next  highest  pupil,  Amelia  with  a 
percentage  of  92,  is  given  7 as  a rank. 


330 


APPENDIX  C 


The  coefBcient  of  coordination,  being  an  index  number  to  show  the  closeness 
with  which  two  rankings  correspond,  is  dependent  upon  the  differences  between 
the  rankings  of  the  various  individuals  in  the  two  measures  being  compared. 

The  formula  used  is  p = f ^ , where  p stands  for  the  coefficient  of  co- 
n(m — 1) 

ordination,  d stands  for  the  difference  between  an  individual’s  rank  in  the  two 
measures,  and  n stands  for  the  number  of  individuals  ranked  in  the  two  traits. 
The  capital  sigma,  S,  stands  for  the  sum  of  whatever  follows  it,  in  this  case  the 
squares  of  the  differences  between  the  two  rankings. 

We  may  now  employ  the  formula  to  find  the  coefficient  of  coordination  be- 
tween rank  in  educational  measurements  and  rank  in  the  teacher’s  judgment 
as  to  intelligence.  The  difference  between  the  ranks  in  column  A and  column  B 
of  the  above  table  is  given  in  the  fourth  column.  Adelaide  had  a 12  in  column 
A and  a 19  in  column  B,  so  the  difference  (7)  appears  in  the  fourth  column  and 
its  square  (49)  in  the  fifth  column.  Similarly  the  difference  between  Ruth’s  3.5 
and  her  15  is  11.5,  the  square  of  which  is  132.25.  Finding  the  squares  of  all  the 
differences  between  rank  in  A and  rank  in  B,  and  adding  these  squares  together 
at  the  bottom  of  the  table  gives  1790.5,  which  may  now  be  substituted  in  the 
formula  for  S d^.  n,  the  number  of  pupils  is  in  this  case  28,  and  therefore 
n (n2  — 1)  is  28  (28  squared  less  1)  = 28  (784  — 1)  = 28  x 783  = 21924.  The 
substitution  in  the  formula  then  goes  as  follows; 

p =1 = =1_1^-=1_.490  = .510 


n (n2  — 1)  28  X 783  " 21924. 

The  coefficient  of  coordination  between  rank  in  the  educational  measurements 
and  rank  in  the  teacher’s  estimate  of  intelligence  for  the  sixth  grade  class  is  .51, 
which  suggests  the  question  of  how  to  interpret  a coefficient  after  it  is  found. 

A coefficient  of  1.00  would  mean  perfect  coordination  and  would  only  be  found 
when  there  were  no  differences  whatever  between  the  two  rankings  considered. 
Such  a perfect  relationship  will  probably  never  be  found,  except  by  some  freak 
«of  chance,  for  even  when  a group  of  persons  is  retested  with  the  same  test  there 
is  almost  certain  to  be  some  change  in  their  relative  standings.  A coefficient 
of  0.00  would  indicate  no  relation  whatever  between  the  two  rankings,  while  a 
coefficient  of  — 1.00  would  mean  perfect  correlation  of  a negative  sort,  the  person 
getting  highest  in  one  measure  getting  lowest  in  the  other,  the  person  scoring 
next  to  the  highest  in  one  scoring  next  to  the  lowest  in  the  other,  and  so  on. 
Perfect  negative  correlation  is  as  infrequent  as  perfect  positive  correlation. 

The  coefficient  found  between  the  teacher’s  estimates  of  intelligence  and  the 
results  of  educational  measurements,  .51,  indicates  a really  useful  degree  of  coor- 
dination. Unless  a Mentimeter  test  shows  a coefficient  of  coordination  of  .25 
or  more  with  the  production  records  (or  other  reliable  measure  of  true  ability), 
it  may  be  considered  as  having  little  value  in  helping  to  select  and  differentiate 
men  for  that  particular  line  of  work.  If  the  coefficient  is  above  .5,  the  test  is 


APPENDIX  C 


331 


quite  useful,  and  the  nearer  the  coefficient  approaches  1.00  the  more  confidence 
one  may  place  in  the  test  as  a means  of  selecting  and  classifying  men  in  that  par- 
ticular field. 

The  sixth  column  of  the  table  on  page  8 gives’  the  difference  between  the  test 
results  rankings  and  the  scholarship  marks  rankings,  and  the  seventh  column 
gives  the  squares  of  these  differences,  the  sum  of  these  squares  being  given  at 
the  bottom  of  the  seventh  column  as  1411.5.  By  substituting  in  the  formula, 
, 6Sd2  , 6x1411.5  , 8469. 

^ ~ ^ n (n2-l)  ~ ^ 28x783  ~ ^ 21924.  ” ^ ~ 

it  appears  that  the  tests  more  closely  correspond  with  the  average  of  the  scholar- 
ship marks  given  by  the  teacher  than  with  the  teacher’s  estimate  of  intelligence. 
This  is  partly  to  be  explained  by  the  fact  that  the  tests  given  were  measurements 
of  ability  in  school  subjects  rather  than  tests  of  intelligence,  and  still  more  by 
the  fact  that  the  teacher  gave  scholarship  marks  on  the  basis  of  relatively  ob- 
jective examinations  while  her  estimates  of  intelligence  are  always  wholly  sub- 
jective. 

The  eighth  and  ninth  columns  on  page  8 give  the  differences  between  the  ranks 
in  the  teacher’s  estimates  of  intelligence  and  the  ranks  in  the  scholarship  marks 
given  during  a half  year.  The  coefficient  of  coordination  worked  out  from  these 

differences  U .833  (p  = = 1 ~ = 1 - -167  = .833) 


21924 


which  would  seem  to  indicate  that  the  teacher  drew  very  heavily  on  her  knowl- 
edge of  the  relative  scholarship  of  her  pupils  in  making  her  estimates  of  their  in- 
tellectual capacities. 

The  three  coefficients  worked  out  above  for  28  pupils  in  a sixth  grade  are 
typical  of  the  mathematical  relationships  the  reader  will  wish  to  work  out  be- 
tween known  degrees  of  ability  in  a certain  type  of  work  and  the  results  of  the 
Mentimeter  tests.  The  coefficients  of  coordination  for  the  sixth-grade  pupils 
studied  above  are,  between 


Educational  Measurements  and  Estimated  intelligence  = .51 
Educational  Measurements  and  Scholarship  Averages  = .61 
Estimated  Intelligenee  and  Scholarship  Averages  = .83 


No  method  of  forecasting  degree  of  success  in  one  line  of  work  from  quality  of 
performance  in  another  task  (or  in  a test)  will  give  a perfect  coefficient  of  co- 
ordination of  1.00,  but  the  nearer  the  coefficient  approaches  1.00  the  more 
reliance  one  may  put  in  the  test  which  furnishes  such  a ranking  of  the  individuals. 


APPENDIX  D 


Correct  Answer  for  Mentimeter  Tests 

The  advantages  of  a carefully  standardized  test  over  an  ordinary  examination 
which  any  one  might  prepare  for  his  own  use  are  chiefly  the  characteristics 
implied  in  the  word  “standard.”  A standard  test  is  one  which  has  been  care- 
fully prepared  after  extensive  experience  with  similar  tests;  one  which  is  made 
exact  and  objective  by  the  most  minute  specifications  as  to  how  it  shall  be  ap- 
plied, marked,  scored,  and  interpreted;  and  one  on  which  many  persons  of  vary- 
ing degrees  of  proved  ability  have  been  tested  and  reported,  for  comparison  with 
the  results  to  be  obtained  later  from  testing  other  persons  of  undetermined  de- 
grees of  ability.  The  purpose  of  this  section  of  the  appendix  is  to  make  definite 
and  unmistakable  the  answers  to  the  questions  asked  in  the  Mentimeter  tests, 
in  order  that  each  reader  may  mark  and  interpret  the  results  of  these  tests  in 
exactly  the  same  way,  that  is,  in  the  “standard”  way. 

As  was  stated  in  the  body  of  the  discussion,  each  package  of  test  booklets  sold 
is  accompanied  by  a “stencil”  which  fits  over  the  pages  of  the  printed  test  in 
such  a manner  as  to  bring  the  correct  answer  directly  alongside  the  answer 
checked  or  written  by  the  candidate  examined,  with  the  result  that  there  is  small 
opportunity  for  errors  in  the  judgment  of  the  persons  making  the  answers.  If 
the  word  checked  or  written  corresponds  with  the  word  or  words  printed  on  the 
stencil  at  that  point,  the  question  has  been  answered  correctly,  while  if  the  word 
checked  or  written  by  the  candidate  is  less  applicable  than  the  one  appearing  on 
the  stencil,  the  response  is  to  be  marked  incorrect.  With  the  aid  of  the  stencils 
the  Mentimeter  tests  may  be  marked  correctly  by  inexpensive  clerical  assist- 
ants in  from  one  third  to  one  tenth  of  the  time  that  would  be  required  for  the 
same  work  by  the  most  intelligent  men  working  without  the  stencils. 

No  attempt  has  been  made  to  print  here  an  exhaustive  list  of  correct  answers 
to  each  question.  The  answers  printed  as  correct  are  merely  typical  in 
most  cases  of  the  quality  of  replies  that  should  be  accepted.  Anything  as  appro- 
priate as  or  more  appropriate  than  the  printed  answer  may  be  given  full  credit, 
while  anything  less  satisfactory  is  to  be  given  no  credit  at  all.  To  print  here  all 
of  the  correct  answers  to  each  question  would  take  more  pages  than  can  be 
allowed  for  this  section  of  the  Appendix  and  would  in  many  cases  cause  more 
confusion  than  clearness  of  thought.  It  is  suggested  that  any  question  of  right 
or  wrong  answers  which  is  diflficult  to  decide  should  be  settled  arbitrarily  by  the 
332 


APPENDIX  D 


333 


reader  and  that  a note  be  kept  of  just  how  the  matter  was  decided,  in  order  that 
any  later  investigator  may  have  the  benefit  of  his  judgment.  In  some  of  the 
tests  new  solutions  will  continually  be  appearing,  even  after  it  seems  certain 
that  all  of  the  correct  answers  have  been  found  and  catalogued. 

MENTIMETER  NO.  1:  Typical  Performances  of  Young  Children. 

Success  in  this  test  is  measured  by  performances  in  response  to  situations 
created  by  the  examiner  to  a much  greater  degree  than  by  answers  to  questions 
asked  by  the  examiner.  The  directions  themselves  give  the  answers  in  most 
cases,  and  in  the  other  cases  the  correct  answers  depend  upon  such  facts  as  the 
name  or  sex  of  the  individual  being  tested.  No  set  of  answers  is  printed  here 
for  these  tests,  therefore,  since  to  do  so  would  be  to  reprint  exactly  the  directions 
appearing  on  pages  115  to  128,  which  the  reader  should  consult  carefully  and 
even  conunit  to  memory  before  undertaking  to  apply  the  tests  to  any  infants  or 
young  children. 

MENTIMETER  NO.  2:  Pictorial  Absurdities. 

In  order  to  receive  credit  the  check  mark  on  each  picture  should  be  placed 
in  such  a way  as  to  indicate  unmistakably  the  part  of  the  picture  which  is  in- 
correct— in  such  a way  as  to  leave  no  doubt  whatever  as  to  the  candidate’s 
having  found  and  identified  the  incongruous  element.  The  following  are  the 
elements  that  should  be  checked  in  each  picture: 

1.  The  front  leg  or  foot. 

2.  The  lower  spout  on  the  water  pitcher. 

3.  The  mouth  on  the  forehead. 

4.  The  horns  (either  one  may  be  checked)  on  the  horse’s  head. 

6.  The  candle  on  the  right  arm  of  the  electric  fixture. 

6 The  rat’s  ears. 

7.  Either  end  of  the  spy-glass. 

8.  The  next  window  to  the  rear  on  the  third  floor. 

9.  The  postage  stamp. 

i 10  The  sock  used  as  a neektie. 

11.  The  long  stem  of  the  lowest  leaf . 

12.  The  flag  (flying  in  the  opposite  direction  from  the  smoke  and  weather 

vane). 

13.  Either  of  the  lights  on  the  Ford. 

14.  The  left  front  foot. 

15.  The  man  between  first  and  second  base  (third  man  from  the  right). 

16.  The  space  between  4 and  5. 

17.  The  claw  hammer  with  which  the  man  is  driving  the  spike. 

' 18.  Either  of  the  five  fingers  of  the  right  hand. 

19.  The  driver  (facing  the  tail). 


334 


APPENDIX  D 


20.  The  ball  being  played  by  the  man  at  the  right. 

21.  The  incandescent  electric  bulb. 

22.  Either  of  the  roller  skates. 

\ 23.  The  knife  in  the  man’s  right  hand. 

24.  Either  of  the  counterbalance  weights  on  the  drivewheels. 

MENTIMETER  NO.  3:  Maze  Threading. 

No  list  of  correct  answers  can  be  printed  for  this  test.  The  stencil  provided 
with  the  test  blanks  shows  exactly  what  the  correct  and  most  economical  thread- 
ing of  each  maze  is,  but  the  reader  can  find  this  solution  for  himself  if  he  will  take 
the  time  and  make  the  effort.  No  credit  should  be  given  for  any  maze  not 
completely  traced  or  for  any  maze  in  which  a printed  line  has  been  crossed.  A 
candidate  who  has  gotten  into  a “blind  alley”  but  has  retraced  his  way  and 
ultimately  been  successful  in  getting  through  the  maze  should  have  full  credit 
for  that  particular  maze. 

MENTIMETER  NO.  4^;  Dot  Pattern  Correction. 

Here  again,  the  only  way  of  giving  the  correct  solution  of  each  problem  is  by 
means  of  the  transparent  stencil  furnished  with  each  package  of  test  blanks. 
That  dot  which  can  be  “ cut  out  ” and  still  leave  a perfectly  symmetrical  figure 
is  the  one  which  should  be  circled  in  each  pattern.  This  is  frequently  at  the 
very  centre  of  the  pattern,  although  the  centre  is  not  the  correct  one  if  by  remov- 
ing it  the  pattern  is  left  unsymmetrical. 

MENTIMETER  NO.  5:  Dividing  Geometric  Figures. 

Only  a transparent  stencil  can  give  a clear  impression  of  the  correct  solution 
of  each  figure.  In  dividing  a circle  into  two  equal  parts  it  makes  no  difference  in 
what  direction  the  diameter  is  run — in  other  words,  any  correct  solution  should 
be  accepted  and  given  full  credit. 

MENTIMETER  NO.  6:  Completion  of  Form-Series. 

Only  the  stencil  supplied  with  the  test  blanks  can  represent  adequately  the 
correct  completion  of  each  series.  No  credit  is  given  in  a series  unless  each  blank 
is  correctly  filled, 

MENTIMETER  NO.  7:  Checking  Identity  of  Numbers. 


1. 

Same 

6. 

Different 

2. 

Different 

7. 

Same 

3. 

Different 

8. 

Same 

4. 

Different 

9. 

Different 

5. 

Same 

10. 

Same 

APPENDIX  D 


335 


11. 

Different 

21. 

Different 

12. 

Same 

22. 

Same 

13. 

Different 

23. 

Same 

14. 

Different 

24. 

Same 

15. 

Same 

25. 

Same 

16. 

Different 

26. 

Different 

17. 

Different 

27. 

Same 

18. 

Different 

28. 

Same 

19. 

Same 

29. 

Different 

20. 

Different 

30. 

Same 

MENTIMETER  NO.  8:  Digit  Symbol  Substitution. 

The  reader  may,  by  reference  to  the  Key  printed  at  the  top  of  the  test  sheet* 
determine  for  himself  the  correctness  of  any  symbol  written  by  a candidate.  The 
stencil  furnished  with  the  Test  Blanks  makes  it  possible  for  one  to  score  this  test 
very  accurately  with  a very  small  expenditure  of  time  and  effort.  In  scoring 
this  test  with  the  stencil  the  correctness  of  the  entire  list  of  100  characters 
can  be  checked  in  less  than  a minute  by  an  ordinary  clerk. 


MENTIMETER  NO.  9:  Completion  of  Number  Relation  Series. 

No  credit  is  to  be  given  on  any  line  unless  all  of  the  missing  numbers  are  cor- 
rectly supplied.  The  score  is  the  number  of  lines  completed  correctly  in  every 
detail. 

6 Series  1 

14  20  Series  2 

9 6 5 Series  3 

5 19  Series  4 

41  27  Series  5 

10  49  Series  6 

I 1 4 Series  7 

22  50  Series  8 

11  25  Series  9 

10  14  10  Series  10 

— - 8 16  17  19  Series  11 

1 36  49  Series  12 

2 34  37  74  Series  13 

33  30  31  24  Series  14 

15  16  16  6 Series  15 

51  48  45  51  Series  16 


336 


APPENDIX  D 


MENTIMETER  NO.  10:  Addition  Tests 
Test  A:  Addition  Knowledge  or  Power. 


1. 

5 

7. 

142 

2. 

8 

8. 

248 

3. 

17 

9. 

1397 

h. 

79 

10. 

1664 

6. 

56 

11. 

5571 

6. 

88 

12. 

50362547 

Test  B: 
1.  6 

Addition  Speed 
21. 

13 

u. 

11 

2. 

17 

22. 

7 

14 

3. 

6 

23. 

8 

^3. 

11 

-4. 

11 

13 

u. 

11 

5. 

6 

25. 

14 

45. 

16 

6. 

11 

26. 

6 

46. 

11 

7 

3 

27. 

11 

47. 

15 

8 

9 

28. 

8 

48. 

12 

9. 

15 

29. 

12 

49. 

9 

10. 

10 

30. 

13 

50. 

14 

11. 

13 

31. 

15 

51. 

4 

12. 

7 

32. 

18 

52. 

9 

13. 

10 

33. 

5 

53. 

5 

u. 

7 

3i. 

13 

54. 

17 

15. 

3 

35. 

13 

55. 

11 

16. 

5 

36. 

14 

56. 

7 

17. 

16 

37. 

10 

57. 

7 

18. 

4 

38. 

15 

58. 

9 

19. 

12 

39. 

15 

59. 

13 

20. 

11 

^0. 

12 

60. 

12 

MENTIMETER  NO.  11: 

1.  56 

2.  27 

3.  935 
416 

5.  7493 

6.  4857 

7.  95738 

8.  68124 


Memory  for  Numbers. 

9.  268359 

10.  635927 

11.  9583624 

12.  8195263 

13.  35268349 
U.  28593614 

15.  639481725 

16.  714963528 


APPENDIX  D 


337 


MENTIMETER  NO.  12: 

1.  85 

2.  46 

5.  U3 
948 

6.  4937 
6.  8625 


Repeating  Numbers  Backward. 

7.  35291 

8.  69824 

9.  752638 

10.  746951 

11.  4857362 

12.  5746283 


MENTIMETER  NO.  13:  Memory  for  Sentences. 

1.  It  snows  in  the  winter. 

2.  Men  usually  have  more  dignity  than  boys. 

3.  There  is  no  excuse  for  being  thoughtless  about  the  rights  of  other  people. 

4.  The  price  of  peace  may  sometimes  be  much  greater  than  a nation  can 

afford  to  pay. 

5.  It  is  unfortunate  that  war  should  ever  be  necessary  among  civilized  na- 

tions. 

6.  Their  harbour  is  a shallow  body  of  water,  connected  with,  but  protected 

from,  the  open  sea. 

7.  Conscience  asserting  itself  as  the  voice  divine  within  the  human  soul  is 

nothing  less  than  a real  actuality. 

8.  Each  state  appoints  a number  of  electors  equal  to  the  whole  number  of 

senators  and  representatives. 

9.  These  discoveries — ^gunpowder,  printing-press,  compass,  and  telescope — 

were  the  weapons  before  which  the  old  science  trembled. 

10.  The  use  of  italic  type  is  indicated  in  the  author’s  manuscript  by  under- 
scoring  the  letters,  words,  phrases,  or  sentences  that  are  to  be  italicized. 


MENTIMETER  NO.  H:  Speaking  Vocabulary  Test. 

Any  explanation,  which  demonstrates  conclusively  that  the  candidate  knows  the 
nature  and  use  of  the  word  or  object  mentioned  by  the  examiner,  should  be  accepted 
and  given  credit,  regardless  of  the  logical  or  grammatical  form  of  the  statements. 
The  explanatory  words  and  phrases  given  below  are  not  intended  to  serve  as 
logical  definitions  or  as  exhaustive  explanations,  but  merely  to  indicate  the 
various  types  of  thing  that  a given  word  might  signify.  In  examining  very 
intelligent  adults,  meanings  not  listed  below  but  nevertheless  correct  and  appro- 
priate may  be  encountered.  If  any  standard  dictionary  lists  as  authentic  the 
meaning  given  by  a candidate,  it  should  be  accepted  without  challenge.  Repe- 
titions by  the  candidate  of  the  word  to  be  explained  should  not  be  accepted  as  an 
explanation.  For  example,  “buy”  is  not  explained  by  “Buy  is  when  you  buy 


338 


APPENDIX  D 


something.”  An  explanation,  to  be  satisfactory,  should  be  in  terms  entirely 
different  from  the  thing  to  be  explained,  although  explanations  otherwise  quite 
simple  are  acceptable  here. 

1.  An  article  of  clothing,  a covering  or  something  to  wear. 

2.  Obtaining  possession  or  rights  in  an  object  in  exchange  for  a price  or  other 

consideration. 

3.  Written  or  printed  matter,  usually  bound  in  covers  for  convenience  in 

reading. 

4.  A supply  of  goods  or  a place  where  such  goods  are  kept.  To  lay  away  or 

deposit  such  supplies. 

5.  A musical  instrument  or  term. 

6.  To  have  or  gain  temporary  possession  or  rights,  in  return  for  some  price  or 

favour.  The  price  paid  for  such  rights.  An  opening  or  torn  place,  es- 
pecially in  cloth. 

7.  The  flesh  of  cattle,  especially  when  used  as  food. 

8.  A custom  or  rule  established  by  a legislature  or  governing  authority,  or  by 

the  nature  of  the  facts  concerned. 

9.  A malady,  illness,  or  infirmity,  frequently  accompanied  by  pain  or  weak- 

ness, 

10.  Uncertainty  or  hesitation  in  belief;  dread,  fear,  distrust,  or  suspicion. 

11.  An  officer  who  decides  disputes  or  acts  as  umpire.  To  decide,  pass  judg- 

ment, or  compare  the  relative  merits  of  ideas,  opinions,  or  objects. 

12.  The  coming  or  occurrence  of  something  considered  desirable  but  not 

foreseen  as  certain.  Lucky. 

13.  One  who  attends  to  letters,  papers,  or  business  matters  for  another  individ- 

ual or  group  of  individuals.  A writing  desk. 

14.  Kingly  or  magnificent.  Characteristic  of  or  related  to  a king  or  ruler. 

15.  A watercourse  or  channel,  usually  artificial.  A tube  or  duct. 

16.  An  eager  desire  or  longing,  usually  of  a selfish  nature. 

17.  A person  of  fair  hair,  skin,  and  eyes.  Light  coloured. 

18.  Property  or  possessions  having  money  value.  Riches.  Goods. 

19.  To  allow,  let,  authorize,  or  give  consent.  A license  or  permission. 

20.  Sagacity,  knowledge,  discretion.  Ability  to  judge  or  discern,  especially 

in  matters  of  conduct. 

21.  To  direct  or  control  action.  To  manage,  supervise,  or  exercise  authority. 

22.  Authority  or  permission  to  do  or  act.  Excess  of  freedom  or  abuse  of 

liberty.  To  authorize  or  grant  permission. 

23.  To  strive  for  the  same  prize  or  object.  To  contend  in  rivalry. 

24.  The  largest  of  the  planets.  A Roman  god. 

25.  Humility,  seK-control,  diffidence.  Proper  delicacy  and  propriety  about 

self  and  actions. 

26.  A scheme  or  plan  to  be  followed.  Procedure  based  on  material  interest 


APPENDIX  D 339 

rather  than  on  higher  principles.  A certificate  of  insurance  or  of  money 
due  under  certain  conditions. 

27.  The  act  or  instrument  used  in  determining  the  exact  degree  or  quantity 

of  a thing.  The  unit  of  amount.  A division  or  part  of  a tune  or  other 
object.  To  determine  degree  or  quantity. 

28.  Inspiration,  ecstasy,  emotion,  eagerness,  or  the  object  of  such  manifes- 

tations. 

29.  Rate  of  interest,  commission,  or  discount.  Number  of  parts  concerned 

in  a hundred. 

30.  A measure  of  distance  or  area.  An  agreement  between  two  parties  for 

accomplishing  a common  task.  To  combine  for  mutual  support. 

31.  A theory  or  system  of  social  reorganization.  Social  reform  through  politi- 

cal agencies.  A theoretically  ideal  society  or  state. 

32.  The  science  of  exact  reasoning.  The  laws  or  method  of  abstract  thought. 

A treatise  on  thinking  or  reasoning. 

33.  To  regard  with  reverence,  respect,  or  veneration.  To  adore. 

34.  Satire,  ridicule,  contemptuous  remarks,  bitter  taunts. 

35.  Sarcastic  reproach,  invective.  To  deride,  revile,  or  reproach  with  insult- 

ing words. 

36.  Not  transparent,  dark,  impervious  to  rays  of  light.  Unintelligible,  stupid, 

37.  One  making  a first  appearance  in  society  or  before  the  public. 

38.  Act  of  repairing  or  restoring.  Giving  satisfaction  or  compensation  for  a 

wrong  or  injury. 

39.  To  take  the  tenth  part  of  or  to  destroy  a considerable  proportion  of  a 

group. 

40.  An  instrument  used  to  regulate  an  electric  current. 

41.  Knowing  all  things.  Infinitely  wise.  One  who  is  possessed  of  universal 

knowledge. 

42.  To  curse  or  treat  basely.  Used  in  imprecations,  frequently  with  little 

meaning. 

43.  A cat-like  animal  resembling  the  leopard  found  in  India,  Persia,  and 

Africa. 

44.  A very  large  and  strong  animal — especially  one  mentioned  in  the  Bible. 

45.  A bay  window,  particularly  one  which  projects  from  the  face  of  a wall. 

46.  One  of  the  great  stones  or  boulders  used  in  prehistoric  monuments. 

47.  A soft,  white  substance  that  forms  a protecting  sheath  about  the  centre  of 

meduUated  nerve  fiber. 

48.  An  ancient  manner  of  writing.  Ancient  writings,  or  the  study  of  such 

writings. 

49.  The  branch  of  sm-gery  that  treats  of  adding  artificial  parts  to  the  body  to 

replace  natural  parts  which  are  wanting. 

50.  The  dried  tubers  of  various  orchids,  used  for  food,  like  tapioca. 


340 


APPENDIX  D 


MENTIMETER  NO.  15:  Word  Discrimination. 

Any  real  difference  named  by  the  candidate  between  the  two  words  to  be 
compared  should  be  given  credit  whether  it  appears  in  the  follovring  list  or  not. 
The  list  merely  points  out  some  of  the  outstanding  differences  between  the 
words  of  each  pair,  but  does  not  attempt  to  list  all  of  the  possible  differences. 
Any  difference  mentioned  by  the  candidate  which  is  confirmed  by  any  standard 
dictionary  should  be  sufficient  to  give  full  credit. 


1.  A bird  lives  in  the  air  : 

flies 

has  feathers 

2.  A snake  is  long  : 

is  a reptile 
crawls 

has  no  wings  or  legs 

3.  A pen  writes  only  when  it  has  ink  : 

is  made  of  steel  or  hard 
metal 

does  not  have  to  be  sharp- 
ened 

4.  An  eagle  flies  very  high  and  long  ; 

distances 
is  wild 

is  not  good  for  food 

5.  A book  usually  has  a hard  cover  : 

is  usually  one  story,  by 
one  author 
is  published  once 

6.  An  orange  has  a reddish  yellow  : 

color 

is  spherical  in  shape 
is  usually  larger  than  a 
lemon 

is  usually  sweet 

7.  A teacher  works  in  a school  : 

usually  teaches  children 

deals  primarily  with  : 
academic  subjects 

8.  Luck  comes  to  a person  by  chance  : 

is  a temporary  advantage 
comes  to  everyone 


A fish  lives  in  the  water 
swims 
has  scales 
A fly  is  short 

is  an  insect 
flies 

has  wings  and  legs 
A pencil  writes  without  ink 

is  made  of  lead  or  soft  ma- 
terial 

has  to  be  sharpened 

A chicken  flies  very  low  and  but  a 
short  distance 
is  domestic 
is  good  for  food 
A magazine  has  a paper  cover 

is  several  stories,  by  dif- 
ferent people 
is  published  periodically 
A lemon  has  a bright  yellow  colour 

is  oblong  in  shape 
is  usually  smaller  than  an 
orange 

is  usually  sour 

A preacher  works  in  a church 

usually  addresses  grown- 
ups 

deals  primarily  with  re- 
ligious subjects 

Pluck  is  part  of  a person’s  character 
is  a permanent  advantage 
is  characteristic  of  a few 


APPENDIX  D S41 


9. 

10. 

11. 

12. 


16. 


17. 


19. 


20. 


22. 


Stone  is  a natural  product,  made 
of  mineral  matter 
is  used  for  buildings 
is  thick  and  coarse 
A balloon  depends  on  the  wind 
for  motion 
has  a large  gas  bag 
moves  slowly 

To  plod  is  to  work  or  travel 
slowly  but  steadily 
is  to  toil,  to  drudge 
To  wither  is  to  fade,  to  lose  fresh- 
ness 

is  to  languish 
flowers  wither 

To  surprise  is  to  come  upon  one 
ima wares,  or  unexpectedly 
Rash  means  overhasty  in  coun- 
sel or  action 

means  undertaking  a mat- 
ter without  suflicient  re- 
flection 

Lonely  is  to  be  without  desired 
companions 

Sorrow  is  pain  of  mind  from  loss  : 
or  disappointment 
is  deep  seated,  lasting 
Plutocrat  is  one  whose  wealth  : 
gives  him  power  or  influence 
A rascal  is  a mean,  tricky  person  : 
To  plunder  is  to  take  goods  by  : 
force,  to  pillage 

To  relinquish  is  to  abandon  the  : 
thing  which  has  been  pos- 
sessed, or  the  object  of  pursuit 
Shrewd  means  artful,  malicious,  : 
cunning,  of  less  dignity  than 
sagacious 

Dormant  means  sleeping,  not  in 
action  : 


China  is  made  artificially  of  fine  earth 
or  clay 

is  used  for  dishes 
is  thin  and  fragile 
An  airplane  is  run  by  a motor 

has  no  gas  bag 
moves  rapidly 

To  plot  is  to  scheme  or  plan,  usually 
for  evil  to  someone  else 
is  to  conspire,  to  intrigue 
To  shrivel  is  to  dry  up,  to  draw  into 
wrinkles 
is  to  shrink 
vegetables  shrivel 

To  astonish  is  to  strike  one  with 
sudden  wonder  or  amazement 
Reckless  means  careless,  utterly  heed- 
less of  consequences 
means  indifferent  or  thought- 
less 

Solitary  is  to  be  absolutely  alone 
remote  from  society 
Sadness  is  being  downcast  or  unhappy 

may  be  transient,  passing  ^ 
Autocrat  is  an  absolute  sovereign, 
having  usually  inherited  authority 
A rogue  is  an  idle,  mischievous  person 
To  devastate  is  to  lay  waste,  to  deso- 
late, to  ravage 

To  resign  is  to  formally  return  or 
give  up  an  office,  to  submit,  to 
acquiesce,  to  abdicate 
Sagacious  means  one  of  keen  penetra- 
tion and  judgment,  one  with  a com- 
prehensive as  well  a penetrating 
mind 

Quiescent  means  resting,  in  a state 
of  repose 


342  APPENDIX  D 


23.  Reconstruction  means  to  form  : 

anew 

means  to  build 
over  again 
deals  more 
largely  with 
material  things 

24.  Reparation  means  restoration,  : 

renewing:  repair- 

ing damage  done 
has  more  of  the  idea 
of  replacing  things 
destroyed 


Rehabilitation  means  to  invest  again 
with  some  right  or 
dignity 

deals  largely  with  men- 
tal and  spiritual 
things 

Indemnity  means  immunity  from  loss 
or  damage 

remuneration  for  injury 
has  more  of  the  idea  of  pay- 
ing for  things  destroyed 


MENTIMETER  NO.  16:  Naming  Opposites. 

Except  in  special  cases  indicated  below,  no  credit  should  be'  lallowed  for  adding 
“not”  or  “un”  or  any  other  negative  prefix  to  the  printed  word.  An  entirely 
different  word  should  be  used  as  the  opposite  of  the  printed  nvord.  Those 
words  printed  in  parentheses  in  the  following  list  should  not  be  given  credit  as 
being  satisfactory  opposites.  Words  not  printed  below  but  as  satisfactory  op- 
posites as  those  printed  should  be  given  full  credit,  while  words  as  unsatisfactory 
as  those  printed  in  parentheses  should  not  be  given  credit. 


1. 

bad,  poor  (not  good) 

16. 

somewhere,  everywhere 

2. 

poor,  needy,  indigent 

17. 

fresh 

2. 

big,  large,  great  (tall) 

18. 

idle 

4. 

old,  ancient 

19. 

to  sink  (to  swim) 

5. 

easy,  soft 

20. 

rough, ragged 

6. 

light  (white) 

21. 

tame,  domestic 

7. 

clean,  pure 

22. 

weakness 

8. 

well,  healthy 

23. 

guilty 

9. 

south 

24. 

ignorance,  stupidity 

10. 

full,  filled 

25. 

negative,  uncertain 

11. 

pull 

26. 

superior 

12. 

right,  correct 

27. 

modern,  new 

13. 

end,  ending 

28. 

cause 

14. 

wide 

29. 

generous,  liberal 

15. 

evening,  afternoon  (night) 

30. 

concrete,  specific 

APPENDIX  D 


343 


31.  justice,  impartiality 

32.  dilatory,  sluggish 

33.  extravagant,  wasteful,  uneco- 

nomical 

34.  genuine,  real 

35.  depression,  melancholy 


36.  delay.  Impede,  hamper 

37.  eonfident,  bold,  immodest 

38.  heterogeneous 

39.  cowardly,  irresolute,  fearful 

40.  slanderous,  scurrilous,  vilifying 


MENTIMETER  NO.  17:  Spelling  Tests 
The  word  lists  themselves  furnish  the  correct  answers  and  therefore  no  further 
set  of  answers  is  needed  here.  See  pages  199-200  for  the  lists. 


MENTIMETER  NO.  18:  Range  of  Information 


1. 

COW 

21. 

STATESMAN 

2. 

CLUBS 

22. 

POUGHKEEPSIE 

3. 

CIGARETTE 

23. 

LAW 

4. 

CARPENTER 

24. 

TWO 

5. 

GREEN 

25. 

DICKENS 

6. 

AUTOMOBILES 

26. 

ENGLAND 

7. 

DOG 

27. 

BIRD 

8. 

ACTRESS 

28. 

ATHLETICS 

9. 

HUYLER 

29. 

DRINK 

10. 

1861 

30. 

INK 

11. 

COUNTY 

31. 

FRUIT 

12. 

PAINTER 

32. 

ISOSCELES 

13. 

MOTORCYCLE 

33. 

1066 

14. 

NOVELIST 

34. 

HEART 

15. 

FILING-CASE 

35. 

PLANT 

16. 

DISTANCE 

36. 

KOREA 

17. 

LEG 

37. 

OXYGEN 

18. 

REEFS 

38. 

MUSIC 

19. 

WATER 

39. 

CLOTH 

20. 

STOWE 

40. 

ANIMAL 

MENTIMETER  NO.  19: 

Reading  Vocabulary. 

1. 

BODY,  TOOL 

6. 

CLOTHES 

2. 

ANIMAL 

7. 

ANIMAL,  BODY 

3. 

CLOTHES 

8. 

TOOL,  FISH 

4. 

COLOUR 

9. 

BODY 

5. 

BIRD 

10. 

TOOL 

344 


APPENDIX  D 


11.  BIRD 


26.  TOOL 

27.  TIME 


12.  COLOUR 


13.  FISH 

14.  WAR 

15.  TIME 


28.  ANIMAL 

29.  COLOUR 

30.  WAR 


16.  WAR 


31.  TIME 


17.  ANIMAL 


32.  CLOTHES 


18.  FISH 

19.  TIME 


33.  BODY 

34.  BIRD 

35.  FISH 


20.  CLOTHES 


21.  WAR 

22.  BODY 

23.  COLOR 

24.  BIRD 

25.  FISH 


36.  BODY 

37.  WAR 

38.  TOOL 


39.  ANIMAL 

40.  BIRD 


MENTIMETER  NO.  20:  Reading,  Directions. 

1.  The  name  should  be  written  on  the  line. 

2.  There  should  be  a cross  or  an  x in  the  square. 

3.  There  should  be  a cross  or  an  x in  the  circle  and  a dot  or  period  in  the  squaret, 

4.  There  should  be  a 1 under  the  letter  M and  a 2 under  the  letter  W,  in  the 

list  of  capital  letters  beginning  A,  N,  etc. 

5.  The  word  “Yes”  should  be  written  on  the  dotted  line. 

6.  The  word  “in”  should  be  crossed  out  and  the  word  “and”  should  have 

two  lines  or  circles  aroimd  it. 

7.  The  word  “seven”  or  the  figure  7 should  be  written  on  the  blank  at  the 

left,  “twelve”  or  12  on  the  middle  blank,  and  “one  hundred”  or  100  on 
the  blank  at  the  right. 

8.  “Ten”  or  10  should  be  written  in  the  square  on  the  left,  a small  circle 

should  be  written  in  the  second  square,  and  the  letter  “C  ” in  the  triangle 
at  the  right. 

9.  There  should  be  a line  drawn  under  the  word  “ Peck.” 

10.  The  word  “thousand”  or  1000  should  be  written  in  the  circle. 

11.  The  square  in  front  of  the  word  “diminished”  should  have  a check  mark  or 

cross  on  it. 

12.  There  should  be  a line  under  the  word  “ Face.  ” 

MENTIMETER  NO.  21:  Reading,  Interpretation. 

Answers  must  show  conclusively  that  the  questions  and  the  sentences  answer- 
ing them  were  read  and  understood  by  the  candidate. 

1.  Boys. 

2.  In  the  houes. 


APPENDIX  D 


'345 


3.  Girls. 

4.  On  farms,  in  stores,  mines,  and  factories. 

5.  In  the  things  they  enjoy  and  in  the  things  they  are  able  to  do. 

6.  Wheat,  corn,  and  cattle. 

7.  To  make  clothing  to  keep  us  warm. 

8.  To  protect  us  from  rain  and  snow. 

9.  Differences  between  people. 

10.  Because  the  world  has  all  sorts  of  work  that  must  be  done,  or  it  makes 

possible  the  adjustment  of  people  to  the  different  tasks  to  be  done. 

11.  Much  of  it  would  be  poorly  done. 

12.  The  diflSiculty  of  the  task. 

13.  Discontentment  and  unhappiness. 

14.  “Expeditiously”  suggests  a lack  of  economy  in  time  and  money. 

15.  Intellectual  measurements. 

16.  The  consummation  of  the  science  of  personnel  engineering. 


MENTIMETER  NO.  22:  Disarranged  Sentences. 

The  most  frequent  arrangement  of  the  words  in  each  sentence  is  indicated 
below  by  the  last  word.  Any  other  arrangement  of  these  words  which  produces 
a perfectly  logical  and  grammatical  sentence  may  be  accepted.  Very  few 
sentences  will  be  found  that  are  not  already  provided  for  in  the  concluding  words 
listed  below. 


1. 

WHITE. 

11. 

FOOD.  VALUABLE. 

2. 

ROBIN.  BIRD. 

12. 

TREES. 

3. 

WATER. 

13. 

GERMANY.  ENGLAND. 
FRANCE. 

4. 

HOUSES. 

14. 

PUNISHED. 

5. 

WITH. 

15. 

OCEAN. 

6. 

WEST. 

16. 

MISTAKES. 

7. 

COUNTRY. 

17. 

NIGHTS.  SEEN. 

8. 

COLDEST. 

18. 

CLOTHING.  USEFUL. 

9. 

FOOD. 

19. 

DEBATERS. 

10. 

EARTH. 

20. 

WARFARE.  POISONOUS. 

21.  DEGRADING.  UNFORTUNATE. 

22.  CRIMES.  BIGAMY.  PERJURY. 

23.  PSYCHOLOGISTS. 

24.  STEALING. 

25.  FACT.  OBSERVED.  APPLIED. 


346 


APPENDIX  D 


MENTIMETER  NO.  23:  Completion  of  Sentences. 

It  is  impossible  for  any  one  to  make  out  a complete  list  of  all  the  possible  com- 
pletions of  any  group  of  twenty  sentences  such  as  those  included  in  this  test. 
The  list  of  completions  given  below  is  therefore  merely  suggestive  of  the  perfect 
sentences  which  may  be  made  and  is  not  intended  in  any  way  to  be  exhaustive. 
Anything  which  is  as  good  as  the  completion  listed  below  should  be  given  full 
credit.  Anything  which  is  not  so  satisfactory  should  not  be  given  credit. 

1.  Is  ov  was. 

2.  To. 

3.  Gave,  or  gives. 

4.  Girl  or  child  in  the  first  blank,  and  to  in  the  second  blank. 

5.  And  in  the  first  blank,  with  dogs  in  the  second  blank. 

6.  Have,  make  or  gain. 

7.  Not  or  never  in  the  first  blank,  with  parents,  friends,  or  sister  in  the  second 

blank. 

8.  Boy,  man  or  child  in  the  first  blank,  with/eZZ  in  the  second  blank. 

9.  Is  or  was  in  the  first  blank,  with  to  in  the  second  blank,  and  windy  in  the 

third  blank. 

10.  Succeeds  or  can. 

11.  Animal  in  the  first  blank,  his  or  its  in  the  second  blank,  and  size  in  the 

third  blank. 

12.  Man  in  the  first  blank,  with  carried  or  carries  in  the  second  blank,  and  wore 

or  wears  in  the  third  blank. 

13.  On  in  the  first  blank,  quenches  in  the  second  blank,  drink  in  the  third  blank, 

and  cold  or  pure  in  the  fourth  blank. 

14.  Patriotism  in  the  first  blank,  waving  or  carrying  in  the  second  blank,  come 

or  go  in  the  third  blank,  and  marching  in  the  fourth  blank. 

15.  That  or  which  in  the  first  blank,  worth  in  the  second  blank,  well  in  the  third 

blank,  doing  in  the  fourth  blank. 

16.  Does  or  can  in  the  first  blank,  give  in  the  second  blank,  every  in  the  third 

blank. 

17.  When  in  the  first  blank,  better  in  the  second  blank,  practice  in  the  third 

blank,  at  in  the  fourth  blank,  wrong  in  the  fifth  blank,  doing  in  the  sixth 
blank. 

18.  Which  or  that  in  the  first  blank,  cause  in  the  second  blank,  are  in  the  third 

blank,  and  very  or  most  in  the  fifth  blank. 

19.  To  in  the  first  blank,  when  in  the  second  blank,  thirsty  in  the  third  blank, 

and  great  or  real  in  the  fourth  blank. 

20.  Whether  in  the  first  blank,  likes,  desires,  or  welcomes  in  the  second  blank,  or 

in  the  third  blank,  one  in  the  fourth  blank,  not  in  the  fifth  blank,  as  in 
the  sixth  blank,  insult  in  the  seventh  blank. 


APPENDIX  D 


347 


MENTIMETER  NO.  2^:  Analogies  or  Mixed  Relations. 

As  with  several  of  the  other  lists  of  answers,  no  attempt  is  made  here  to  give 
an  exhaustive  list  of  the  correct  solutions.  The  words  which  appear  below  are 
standard.  Anything  as  good  as  this  standard  list  should  be  accepted  while 
anything  inferior  to  the  printed  solutions  should  not  be  given  credit. 


1. 

Dogs 

16. 

Floor 

2. 

Far,  distant 

17. 

Bird,  birds,  fowl 

3. 

Foot 

18. 

Chauffeur 

4. 

Cat’s 

19. 

Was,  were,  been 

5. 

Hot,  warm,  heat 

20. 

School,  shoal 

6. 

Swims,  swim 

21. 

Night 

7. 

Hen 

22. 

Risen 

8. 

Drink 

23. 

Drake 

9. 

School,  classroom 

24. 

Sheep,  animal,  beast 

LO. 

Her 

25. 

Women’s 

11. 

Law 

26. 

Give,  donate,  buy,  return 

12. 

Colt,  foal 

27. 

Aviatrices 

13. 

Bought 

28. 

Criterion 

14. 

Painting,  picture,  portrait 

29. 

Joneses’ 

15. 

Sheep,  ram 

30. 

Esoteric 

MENTIMETER  NO.  25:  Handwriting. 

The  reader  wiU  be  able  to  count  the  number  of  letters  written  per  minute 
and  thereby  obtain  the  score  in  this  test  without  any  key.  For  the  quality  of 
the  results  of  such  a test  the  reader  will  compare  the  handwriting  of  each  candi- 
date with  the  samples  printed  on  page  239. 


MENTIMETER  NO.  26:  English  Composition. 

This  test,  like  the  test  for  handwriting  quality,  is  a test  of  the  quality  of  prod- 
ucts produced  by  the  candidates  rather  than  of  the  diflBculty  of  problems  solved. 
Therefore,  no  set  of  correct  answers  is  necessary.  The  quality  of  the  candidate’s 
composition  should  be  compared  directly  with  the  quality  of  the  printed  samples 
appearing  on  pages  242  to  244. 


348 


APPENDIX  D 


MENTIMETER  NO.  S7:  Poetic  Discrimination. 

The  correct  order  as  determined  by  the  judgments  of  scores  of  capable  judges 
of  English  Poetry  is  as  follows: 


In  Set  No.  1 

Best 

Z 

Middle 

Y 

Poorest 

X 

In  Set  No.  2 

X 

Y 

Z 

In  Set  No.  3 

z 

X 

Y 

In  Set  No.  4 

Y 

X 

Z 

In  Set  No.  5 

Y 

Z 

X 

In  Set  No.  6 

Y 

Z 

X 

MENTIMETER  NO.  28:  Arithmetic  Reasoning. 

In  giving  the  correct  answers  below  each  figure  has  attached  to  it  the  Word 
indicating  the  commodity  concerned.  No  answer  should  be  considered  incor- 
rect, however,  because  it  omits  the  words  “dollars,”  “lemons”  or  “men.” 


1. 

8 men 

8. 

3373  quarts 

2. 

12  dollars 

9. 

500  pounds 

3. 

9 nickels 

10. 

51  cents 

4. 

5 benches 

11. 

750  people 

5. 

8 cents 

12. 

22  tons 

6. 

23  cents 

13. 

$4.80 

7. 

16  lemons 

14. 

$1575.00 

MENTIMETER  NO.  29:  Practical  Judgment  Test. 

1.  Get  a drink  of  water. 

2.  It  tastes  good. 

S.  Wear  a raincoat. 

4.  Ring  the  alarm  and  try  to  put  out  the  fire. 

5.  Ask  the  person’s  pardon. 

6.  The  frost  has  killed  them. 

7.  To  protect  them  from  the  colder  weather. 

8.  At  the  beach  of  a summer  resort. 

9.  Try  to  make  time  by  hurrying. 

10.  To  display  the  flag  and  inspire  patriotism. 

11.  Water  always  becomes  solid  at  low  temperatures. 

12.  Nail  a piece  of  tin  over  it. 

13.  It  is  an  easily  digested  and  wholesome  food. 

14.  An  incandescent  electric  bulb. 

15.  To  create  a demand  for  special  brands. 

16.  So  that  their  strength  may  be  utilized. 


APPENDIX  D 


34S 


17.  The  low  temperature  keeps  it  fresh. 

18.  One  could  jump  from  one-story  buildings. 

19.  Discover  and  remove  the  cause  of  its  crying. 

20.  It  has  fewer  impurities  in  it. 

21.  To  avoid  making  the  city  smoky. 

22.  To  remove  the  electricity  from  the  air. 

23.  High  and  rapidly. 

24.  To  help  one  decide  where  to  read. 

MENTIMETER  NO.  30:  Logical  Conclusions  Test 

1.  Older  than  James. 

2.  Older  than  Mary. 

3.  Shorter  than  Dot. 

4.  Not  heavier  than  May. 

5.  Slower  than  William. 

6.  Smarter  than  Bertha. 

7.  Not  as  rich  as  Mr.  Jones. 

8.  Not  noisier  than  Robert. 

9.  Less  rapidly  than  Henry. 

10.  Not  warmer  than  Thursday. 

11.  Not  as  frugal  as  Mrs.  Brown. 

12.  Not  larger  than  the  second. 


•mE  ENB 


ir  ' 


